Five Years Ago Today: Bucky Phillips Surrenders

Five years ago today the largest manhunt in New York State history ended when Ralph “Bucky” Phillips surrendered to authorities in Warren County, PA – just over the New York State line.

Wayne Bennett, who was the New York State Police Superintendent at the time, made the announcement, and talked about why Phillips surrendered.

"You’ve got a helicopter hovering over your head. You’ve got SWAT team members coming down the woodline. The game was up and he knew it," Bennett said.

When the announcement was made that Phillips was in custody crowds gathered in Carroll, New York, and Akeley, PA – including the media -- let out cheers and gave law enforcement a round of applause.

"You have no idea how that makes us feel," Bennett said. "We don’t tend to have a lot of people cheer us on except maybe in a parade. To get it from the public is the best ‘thank you’ that we could ever have."

Phillips escaped from the Erie County Correctional Facility on April 2, 2006.

Phillips is serving a life sentence plus 40 years at the Clinton County Correctional Facility in Dannemora for killing Trooper Joseph Longobardo and shooting and wounding troopers Donald Baker Jr. and Sean Brown.

WESB was the only news outlet from McKean County on the scene that day.