Trooper Hayden Phillips was fatally shot during an Interstate 65 traffic stop before authorities captured the suspect in Louisville.
BOWLING GREEN, KY — A Kentucky State Police trooper was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County on Monday, and a 51-year-old Portland, Tennessee, man was arrested hours later after a search that stretched across Kentucky, authorities said.
Trooper Hayden Phillips, 30, was conducting the traffic stop at about 2 p.m. Central time when he was shot, according to Kentucky State Police. The vehicle involved left the scene, prompting an extensive search involving law enforcement agencies across the state. Authorities identified the suspect as Emonnie Branch of Portland and said he was later taken into custody by Louisville Metro Police in Jefferson County. Branch has been charged with murder of a first responder or peace officer.
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said Phillips had stopped a vehicle on I-65 in Warren County when an occupant shot him. Authorities have not publicly explained why Phillips initiated the traffic stop or released a detailed account of what happened immediately before the shooting. Officials also had not announced a motive as of early Tuesday.
The shooting prompted authorities to issue a Blue Alert as officers searched for the vehicle connected to the case. Police described the wanted vehicle as a bluish-gray Honda Civic and warned during the search that the person being sought should be considered armed and dangerous. The alert was canceled after Branch was captured. Officials said the search took law enforcement from the Bowling Green area north through Kentucky before ending in Louisville.
Louisville officers arrested Branch off Dixie Highway roughly four hours after the shooting. Police said officers used a Grappler device to stop the vehicle before taking him into custody. Authorities said Branch would be returned to Warren County, where the case will proceed in state court. Officials emphasized that the investigation remains active, and the charge against Branch is an allegation that must be resolved through the court system.
Phillips was assigned to Kentucky State Police Post 3 in Bowling Green and was a graduate of Cadet Class 103. He became a Kentucky state trooper in 2023 after previously serving with the Glasgow Police Department, according to reports citing law enforcement officials. Phillips was a husband and father of three young children.
Burnett said Phillips’ dedication to his duties and to Kentucky would not be forgotten. Trooper Katan Parker, a public affairs officer for Post 3, described Phillips during an evening news conference as a colleague who was deeply valued by fellow troopers. State police said the agency would support Phillips’ family, loved ones and colleagues as they mourn his death.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also issued a statement after Phillips’ death, calling him a hero who dedicated himself to protecting the commonwealth. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said investigators from his office responded to the scene and would continue supporting Kentucky State Police. Federal, state and local law enforcement officials also participated in the response and search.
U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky said during the Monday night news conference that Branch would be transported back to Warren County to face state charges. Authorities had not released additional details about what led to the traffic stop or the precise circumstances of the shooting. Kentucky State Police continued investigating Phillips’ death as the criminal case moved toward Warren County.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.