State Police: New York fugitive Ralph 'Bucky' Phillips cornered

September 8, 2006 New York State Police are reporting that fugitive, Ralph 'Bucky' Phillips, 44 may be cornered in a wooded area near the Pennsylvania border with New York and that he attempted to point a gun at an officer resulting in shots fired by the officer and Phillips. It is unknown if Phillips was hit, but the trooper was not injured.

"We believe we have him contained. I won't say that I'm completely convinced that this is going to come to the conclusion we want," said Wayne Bennett, the New York State Police  Superintendent.

Bennett also said that Phillips may be cornered in between Carroll, New York, and Russell, Pennsylvania and that Phillips "made a mistake" in threatening to fire upon an officer. Officers began the search for the fugitive around 2:00 a.m. after a man failed to stop for an officer performing a traffic stop. The man fled into the woods and officers responded with a massive search. Officers then used dogs to track the man down and at 9:00 a.m. was seen by at least two N.Y. troopers.

"I think he's made a mistake. I hope it's a big enough one and we can capitalize on it," added Bennett.

Phillips became one of the FBI's top ten most wanted men yesterday and the reward for his arrest or a tip leading to it jumped from $225,000 to $420,000.

Phillips broke out of an Erie County prison in Alden, New york with a can opener on April 2 and shot a N.Y. state trooper in June. He is also believed to have shot two more troopers on August 31 which resulted in the death of one trooper.

WSEE is reporting that the U.S. military is assisting in the search for Phillips.