Kentucky State Police, Kentucky
End of Watch: Monday, September 28, 2026
Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot and killed on I-65, near mile marker 38, in Warren County while conducting a traffic stop.
Around 2:00 p.m., Trooper Phillips pulled a car over for expired tags. As he leaned in to speak to the driver, the subject fired two shots before driving away.
The subject, who had a warrant for his arrest and was on probation, was apprehended several hours later in Louisville and charged with the murder of a first responder, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and tampering with physical evidence.
Three graduates from the same Department of Criminal Justice Training class at Eastern Kentucky University were all killed in the line of duty: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Shirley was ambushed on August 5, 2021; Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy Caleb Conley was shot during a traffic stop on May 22, 2023; and Trooper Phillips was slain on September 28, 2026.
Trooper Phillips had served with the Kentucky State Police for three years and was assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green. Survivors include his wife and three sons.