Hopkinsville, KY – Officer Phillip Meacham was murdered by a police impersonator on Thursday night.

Hopkinsville PD says that 35-year-old James Kennith Decoursey was posing as a police officer when he made a traffic stop on off-duty Officer Meacham at around 5:10 p.m.

What happened next isn’t clear, but Hopkinsville Chief Clayton Sumner later said at a press conference that “officers are never off duty,” and said “an officer was trying to help another officer tonight. And now we’re here.” When he was asked to clarify his comments, he declined to do so at that time.

Sometime during the stop, Decoursey fatally shot Officer Meacham.

Decoursey then fled on foot and stole a white Chevrolet pickup with Kentucky plate 2070GH.

Decoursey is still on the run as of the time of this writing. He is described as a white male, black hair, brown eyes, 6’1″, 260 lbs.

38-year-old Officer Phillip Meacham leaves behind a wife and two school-aged children.

Officer Meacham was a 14-year law enforcement veteran in Christian County, and had just joined Hopkinsville PD last year.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Hopkinsville Police Department Officer Phillip Meacham, both blood and blue. Godspeed, we will take the watch from here. Thank you for your service.

Officer Phillip Meacham, your life mattered.