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On Friday, March 10, state police investigators identified Sgt. Brooks Phillips, an 18½-year veteran of the agency assigned to the Easton Barrack, as the victim who was shot by 23-year-old Trappe resident Keiford Lee Copper III in during what should have been a routine traffic stop.
The shooting was reported shortly before 10 p.m. on Monday, March 6 in Wicomico County.
Police say that Phillips attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Prius in the eastbound lanes of Route 50 near the Vienna Scale House, during which Copper pulled out a firearm and shot him several times.
According to officials, Phillips returned fire, but neither Copper nor two passengers were struck as the vehicle sped away east on Route 50.
An off-duty trooper on his way home heard the broadcast of the incident and was able to immediately respond to the scene, where he was able to render aid until paramedics arrived at the scene of the shooting.
Phillips was transported to TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury for treatment and evaluation of his injuries and has since been released. He remains on administrative leave on March 10.
From there, the pursuit picked up shortly after 10 p.m., when officers from the Delmar Police Department located the suspect vehicle in the area of eastbound Route 54 and Providence Church Road in their jurisdiction.
Officers tracked the vehicle to the 600 block of Elizabeth Street, a dead-end road in Delmar.
The driver made an attempt to turn the vehicle around, according to police, though he failed, hitting a curb, crashing into two vehicles, and coming to rest after striking a tree.
Investigators say that police surrounded the vehicle and found Copper alone inside, slumped over the wheel with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The investigation continued into Tuesday morning, when shortly before 12:30 a.m., a 911 call reported two unidentified men in hooded sweatshirts walking around a neighborhood in Hebron who were ultimately located by state police troopers and taken into custody without incident on Porter Mill Road.
Both were cooperative with the investigation, according to police, agreed to be interviewed, and are not facing any charges.
Officials say that the incident is now under investigation by state police Homicide Unit investigators.
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