By Ben Cowlishaw
Staff Writer
The search continues for Alberto Morales, who stabbed an officer and escaped in Grapevine last night. Morales, who has multiple violent crimes on his record, was being transported from Nevada to Florida via airplane when they took a scheduled layover at D/FW Airport.
According to reports, due to Morales’ demeanor, the accompanying officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department decided the rest of the trip should be completed on the road. When one officer went inside a Walmart in Grapevine, the suspect stabbed the other officer, who was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
Morales escaped and is believed to be armed and dangerous. He is wearing what is described as “street clothes,” a light-colored sweatshirt and grey shorts, and may also still be shackled.
All Grapevine-Colleyville ISD schools doors are locked, and the Grapevine Police Department is being aided by surrounding departments, including Southlake Police Department, in the search for Morales who has a $10,000 award on him for information leading to his capture.
The official City of Coppell and Coppell Police Dept. Twitter accounts retweeted Southlake in an effort to make citizens aware of the situation in our neighboring communities.
11:07 a.m.
@CityofCoppell: “RT @southlakedps: The Southlake Police Department is participating in a large scale manhunt with area law enforcement agencies…”
“We have to remain completely aware of the situation and on alert at all times,” Coppell High School campus officer Ricky Jimenez said.
Jimenez confirmed that there are additional precautions being taken at CISD campuses at this time.
The 41-year-old Morales is described as 5-6 and 145 pounds. If you have any information regarding Morales location or have not made expected contact with someone in the area, you are urged to contact the police so they can use your information to investigate this ongoing situation.
Update: After a four-day manhunt, Morales was shot and killed near Grapevine Lake late Friday night.
Grapevine Police became suspicious after a home invasion call when it was discovered that jewelry and clothes had been stolen last Friday night. Using a helicopter, police located Morales near Grapevine Lake, just three miles from the Walmart he escaped from several days prior.
He refused to follow orders to get on the ground and instead lunged at officers, causing them to shoot at Morales for their own safety.
