Kentucky trooper fatally shot on I-65; manhunt underway for suspect
Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was fatally shot Monday while patrolling Interstate 65 in Warren County. Authorities are searching for a suspect and a Honda Civic with Alabama plates.
A Kentucky State Police trooper was fatally shot Monday while on patrol along a stretch of Interstate 65 in Warren County, prompting a search for the shooter and a vehicle seen at the scene.
Trooper Hayden Phillips, who was assigned to the Bowling Green post in southcentral Kentucky, was shot while patrolling the northbound lanes of the interstate, the state police said in a statement posted to social media.
Col. Phillip Burnett Jr., commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, said the agency was mourning the loss. "Our hearts break for Trooper Phillips' family, loved ones, and fellow troopers as we grieve this tremendous loss," he said. "We will carry his memory with us, honor the life he lived and the badge he wore, and stand together as an agency to support this family in the days ahead."
Authorities were looking for a Honda Civic bearing an Alabama license plate and asked anyone who spots the vehicle to contact law enforcement.
Gov. Andy Beshear described Phillips as "a hero who dedicated himself to protecting our commonwealth."
State police said they planned to hold a news conference Monday night in Bowling Green.