A Kentucky State Police trooper was shot and killed Monday afternoon on Interstate 65 in Warren County. Trooper Hayden Phillips, Unit 369, died in the line of duty, and state police say the search for the person responsible is active. Col. Phillip Burnett Jr. announced the death, saying the agency will carry Phillips’ memory forward and stand with his family in the days ahead.
Investigators are looking for a bluish-gray Honda Civic with Alabama license plate TN018596. If you spot that vehicle, call law enforcement immediately. Do not approach the car or attempt to follow it. Tip lines and local dispatch are the fastest ways to get that information where it needs to go.
This one echoes for the Suncoast, even from far away. Plenty of our neighbors have Kentucky roots, and plenty of us have driven I-65 heading north for the summer. Some of us have family or friends who wear the badge here in Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte County. A traffic stop is one of the most routine parts of the job, and also one of the most dangerous. Today is a hard reminder of that reality.
If you see a vehicle matching that description, make the call. Have you ever reported something suspicious and wondered if it mattered? We’d like to hear what happened.
