This morning at approximately 1:30 a.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office sent an alert to residents of the county to lock their doors and remove keys from vehicles. Earlier, authorities engaged a suspect in a chase, who is now at large on foot. The sheriff’s office describes the suspect as a black male.

KCII News is continuing to work on the developing story and will bring you more information as it becomes official.

The text message alert was sent using the county’s WENS, Washington Emergency Notification System. You can register to receive the messages on the county’s website.