SMITHS GROVE, Ky. — A Barren County resident and Kentucky State Police trooper was killed Monday while patrolling Interstate 65 in Warren County, the agency announced.

Trooper Hayden Phillips, assigned to Unit 369 and Post 3 in Bowling Green, “made the ultimate sacrifice” while on patrol, Kentucky State Police said in a statement from Col. Phillip Burnett Jr.

Phillips was a graduate of Cadet Class 103. He was killed during a traffic stop near mile marker 38 in Warren County.

“Our hearts break for Trooper Phillips’ family, loved ones, and fellow troopers as we grieve this tremendous loss,” Burnett 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.”

Phillips was a Barren County resident. He previously worked with Glasgow Police Department and Russell Springs Police Department before joining KSP in 2023. He had a wife and three children.

A search for the suspect involved in the shooting is ongoing.

State police have not released additional details about the incident.