Kentucky sheriff’s deputy injured in shooting. Suspect killed by police
A sheriff’s deputy in Crittenden County was injured in a shooting Thursday, according to Kentucky State Police.
The shooting happened around 5 p.m at a home on Kentucky 365 in Sturgis. State police said Crittenden County sheriff’s deputies and staff from the Kentucky Department of Community Based Services went to the home to serve emergency guardianship paperwork, and gunfire was exchanged with a suspect during the encounter.
State police identified the injured deputy as Rick Coyle. The Crittenden County Clerk’s Office said Coyle was seriously injured.
Later Friday morning, state police said Coyle remains in critical condition at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. The suspect who shot Coyle, 60-year-old Ronnie Phillips, was shot and killed by police.
“Please allow your thoughts, prayers and consideration for those involved serve over all else for the good of our community,” the Crittenden County clerk’s office said in a Facebook post.
No other injuries were reported. State police said a woman was safely removed from the residence.
Several law enforcement agencies offered support for the sheriff’s office in Facebook posts. Gov. Andy Beshear asked for people to pray for Coyle.
“Deputy Coyle showed the upmost bravery while protecting our commonwealth, and his family and fellow officers need our support right now,” Beshear said in a social media post. “Let’s wrap our arms around them.”
Coyle has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, according to a social media post from Crittenden County Schools.
He is from Chicago and moved to Crittenden County in 2019 after retiring from the Chicago Police Department.
In January 2024, became a school resource officer at Crittenden County middle school and high schools. In a Feb. 14 Facebook post from the high school, Coyle said he enjoys everything about working at the school.
“I believe in the mission of having law enforcement here and readily available and to hopefully deter any violence or the potential for violence,” Coyle said in the post.
State police’s Critical Incident Response Team has been requested to investigate the shooting.
“Timelines for completing investigations vary depending on the complexity of the case,” state police said in a news release.
The shooting happened about 230 miles west of Lexington, near the Kentucky-Illinois border.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 8:38 AM.
