Florida Highway Patrol, Florida
End of Watch: Friday, February 20, 1976
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 20, 1976
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Executed in 1990
Trooper Phillip Black was shot and killed while investigating a suspicious vehicle that contained narcotics at a rest stop on I-95 south of Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
During the stop at least one of the subjects in the car opened fire, killing Trooper Black. Corporal Donald Irwin, of the Ontario Provincial Police, Canada, was riding along with Trooper Black while on vacation. When Corporal Irwin went to assist Trooper Black he was also shot and killed.
One of the subjects in the vehicle was on parole.
Two men and a woman were arrested and charged with their murders. One of the men was convicted of capital murder and executed on May 4th, 1990.
Trooper Black had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for nine years.