Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop in Warren County, making him the third officer from a specific Department of Criminal Justice Training class at Eastern Kentucky University to die in the line of duty. Phillips, along with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Shirley and Scott County Deputy Caleb Conley, were among 33 graduates of DOJCT class 506 in December 2019.
Brian Shirley, father of Brandon Shirley, expressed his dismay at the pattern. Shirley said he “got chills” when he learned of Trooper Phillips’ death, noting the grim connection among the three officers. He recounted his initial thought, wondering if that particular class was somehow ill-fated.
Authorities allege Emonnie Branch, 51, of Portland, Tennessee, shot Phillips and fled the scene, prompting a statewide manhunt. Branch was later apprehended in Louisville and faces charges for the murder of a first responder in Phillips’ death. During his arraignment Tuesday morning in Warren County, a judge denied Branch bail. Court records from the Tennessee Department of Correction indicate Branch had an active warrant for a probation violation in a fraud case when Phillips stopped him. Branch had pleaded guilty to fraud and impersonation and received a five-year probation sentence in July of last year.
Deputy Brandon Shirley was ambushed and killed in August 2021 while working private security at a car lot off Rockford Lane in Louisville. Deputy Caleb Conley died in 2023, shot during a traffic stop on southbound Interstate 75 in Georgetown. Conley’s murder shared a similarity with Phillips’ death, both occurring during traffic stops.
Brian Shirley noted that the recurring tragedy "definitely hits home every time I hear an officer has gone down." He described the unique sorrow shared by the loved ones left behind when an officer dies, calling it a “fraternity where no one wants membership.” Shirley attended Conley’s funeral in 2023 and intends to connect with Phillips’ family as well.
He reflected on the profound and lasting grief experienced by these families. “Heartache and sorrow, it’s just never going to shut off for them,” Shirley said, conveying the immense void left by such losses. He added, "My heart has a giant hole in it, and no matter what I pour into it, I’m never, ever going to fill it up." He acknowledged that Phillips' children lost their father and his wife lost her husband, making them new members in this unwanted club of law enforcement loved ones grappling with loss.
While some say time heals all wounds, Shirley questioned the sentiment, stating, “I don’t know if it gets better or you just get better at dealing with it.” The shared experience of loss creates an enduring bond among the families of fallen officers.