Suspect in Texas trooper's murder transferred from Brazos County jail
WALLER, Texas (KTRK) -- The 33-year-old man suspected of shooting and killing a Texas DPS trooper on Thanksgiving has been transferred from the Brazos County jail.
ABC13 captured a caravan of DPS troopers arriving at the jail and leaving around 8 p.m.
Dabrett Montreal Black appeared in court Friday morning facing capital murder charges before a Magistrate Judge at the Bryan facility.
Black was captured Thursday night hours after the shooting death of Trooper Damon Allen in Freestone County, which is more than 100 miles south of Dallas.
Texas DPS officials said Allen stopped Black on the southbound lanes of I-45 near Fairfield for a traffic violation around 3:45 p.m. Thursday. Allen approached the vehicle and made contact with Black. After he returned to his patrol unit, DPS officials believe Black fired multiple shots with a rifle at the trooper. He died at the scene.
According to the Waller County Sheriff's Office, Black drove from Freestone County in a Chevy Malibu to Waller County near Prairie View. In Waller County, the suspect was involved in a shooting near Liendo Parkway and Wyatt Chapel, deputies said.
Black was wounded in the leg by a bullet and also bitten by a K-9 before being taken into custody just after 9 p.m. He was taken to a hospital in Bryan for observation.
RELATED: Audio captures tense hunt for trooper murder suspect
According to jail records, Black was then booked into the Brazos County Detention Center on capital murder of a peace officer. Black was also booked on previous unrelated warrants, including evading arrest and aggravated assault of a public servant.
He's also wanted in both Smith and Anderson counties for evading arrest with a vehicle, aggravated assault on a public servant and failure to appear in court.
Allen has been with Department of Public Safety since 2002. He is survived by his wife and his three children.
Full statement from Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw:
"Our DPS family is heartbroken tonight after one of Texas' finest law enforcement officers was killed in the line of duty. Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Damon Allen was a loving husband and father of three, and we ask for your prayers for his entire family and his many friends and colleagues during the difficult days ahead. Trooper Allen's dedication to duty, and his bravery and selfless sacrifice on this Thanksgiving Day, will never be forgotten."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott released the following statement:
"With heavy hearts on this Thanksgiving, Cecilia and I express our most sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the trooper who was callously killed today in the line of duty. As law enforcement continues to search for the individual responsible for this heinous crime, I ask that all of Texas keep this trooper and his brothers and sisters in blue in their thoughts and prayers. The killer will face justice, and the State of Texas will continue to offer our unwavering support for the men and women in law enforcement who keep our communities safe."
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo also gave his condolences.
"Never easy losing a colleague, but even worse on a day like today. Prayers and thoughts are with TxDPS and the family and friends of a trooper shot and killed today," Acevedo said on Twitter.
