Kentucky interstate shooting: Schools remain closed as manhunt enters 4th day
A search is continuing on the ground and in the air for the suspected gunman accused of shooting five people on the highway in rural Kentucky over the weekend.The U.S. Marshal’s Office and the FBI are now helping in the search for 32-year-old Joseph Couch. Crews have focused their efforts near Exit 49 off I-75, not too far from Daniel Boone National Forest.Here’s the latest updates on what we know about the search. The shootingFive people were seriously injured when shots rang out along Interstate 75 on Saturday evening.Laurel County Sheriff John Root described the chaotic scene when first responders arrived around 6 p.m., saying cars were on the side of the road with windows shot out and people severely hurt.The sheriff’s office says Couch struck nine cars with bullets, hitting 5 people. Investigators think Couch opened fire from three different perches along a ridge that looks down on I-75. Officials confirmed one of the five victims was shot in the face, another shot in the arm and a woman shot across the chest.”They were very significant, very severe injuries, I don’t want to lessen that,” officials said.NBC affiliate WLEX reports one of the victims has been discharged from the hospital and two others are in good condition. The search for a suspectA manhunt began Saturday for 32-year-old Joseph Couch, who was at first considered a “person of interest.”Authorities say they found Couch’s silver Toyota SUV on Saturday night and on Sunday, they recovered an AR-15 that Couch allegedly used in the shooting, along with a thousand rounds of ammunition.Investigators say Couch bought the gun legally along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition.Officials stated Couch has a military past, serving in the Army Reserves for at least four years. On Sunday, Couch was upgraded from a “person of interest” to a suspect.He is considered armed and dangerous. Officials believe he fled into the wooded area near the interstate.In an update Monday, Kentucky State Police said they are hoping Couch is being worn down and will eventually come out of the woods.”We hope he’s still there,” Trooper Scottie Pennington with KSP said. “It’s not like going over to this business and looking for somebody in there. It’s not like going to a football field and trying to find somebody behind the bleachers. We are in the Daniel Boone National Forest and this is thousands and thousands of acres and as I stated last night, it’s kind of like a jungle and we have cliff beds, we have sinkholes, we have caves, we have culverts that go under the interstate,” Trooper Scottie Pennington with KSP said. So far, Pennington said there has been no evidence in locating Couch. “We’re going to keep goin’. It will probably expand. And that’s just the job we signed up for,” Pennington said. Pennington said they’re using drones to search the wooded area for any sign of Couch. Residents on edgeSchools in the area were closed Monday in an abundance of caution as officials continued their search for Couch. They will remain closed on Tuesday.KSP is advising residents in the area to use caution, be aware of your surroundings and to check on neighbors whenever possible and to check Ring cameras for anything suspicious. “Stay strong. Please look after your fellow neighbors,” Pennington said.Affidavit reveals chilling textsInvestigators in Laurel County have filed attempted murder charges against Couch. According to an affidavit in support of the charges, Couch allegedly texted a woman on Saturday before the shooting that read, in part, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” He then allegedly sent another text saying, in part, “I’ll kill myself afterward.” The message was determined to have been sent at 5:03 p.m. on Saturday, according to the affidavit. The document states that once the woman received the message, she notified law enforcement to warn them about couch. A motive for the shooting isn’t clear yet – but the sheriff says this is not a case of road rage. Officials said they haven’t obtained any information that makes them believe anyone else could be involved aside from Couch. Investigators said while it appears to have been a planned attack, they believe none of the travelers who were hit by bullets were specifically targeted. Reward for informationA reward of $15,000 is being offered for information leading up to Couch’s arrest. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said the Kentucky State Police announced a $5,000 reward and then a private donor offered $10,000 to contribute to the reward.
A search is continuing on the ground and in the air for the suspected gunman accused of shooting five people on the highway in rural Kentucky over the weekend.
The U.S. Marshal’s Office and the FBI are now helping in the search for 32-year-old Joseph Couch.
Crews have focused their efforts near Exit 49 off I-75, not too far from Daniel Boone National Forest.
Here’s the latest updates on what we know about the search.
The shooting
Five people were seriously injured when shots rang out along Interstate 75 on Saturday evening.
Laurel County Sheriff John Root described the chaotic scene when first responders arrived around 6 p.m., saying cars were on the side of the road with windows shot out and people severely hurt.
The sheriff’s office says Couch struck nine cars with bullets, hitting 5 people. Investigators think Couch opened fire from three different perches along a ridge that looks down on I-75.
Officials confirmed one of the five victims was shot in the face, another shot in the arm and a woman shot across the chest.
“They were very significant, very severe injuries, I don’t want to lessen that,” officials said.
NBC affiliate WLEX reports one of the victims has been discharged from the hospital and two others are in good condition.
The search for a suspect
A manhunt began Saturday for 32-year-old Joseph Couch, who was at first considered a “person of interest.”
Authorities say they found Couch’s silver Toyota SUV on Saturday night and on Sunday, they recovered an AR-15 that Couch allegedly used in the shooting, along with a thousand rounds of ammunition.
Investigators say Couch bought the gun legally along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Officials stated Couch has a military past, serving in the Army Reserves for at least four years.
On Sunday, Couch was upgraded from a “person of interest” to a suspect.
He is considered armed and dangerous. Officials believe he fled into the wooded area near the interstate.
In an update Monday, Kentucky State Police said they are hoping Couch is being worn down and will eventually come out of the woods.
“We hope he’s still there,” Trooper Scottie Pennington with KSP said. “It’s not like going over to this business and looking for somebody in there. It’s not like going to a football field and trying to find somebody behind the bleachers. We are in the Daniel Boone National Forest and this is thousands and thousands of acres and as I stated last night, it’s kind of like a jungle and we have cliff beds, we have sinkholes, we have caves, we have culverts that go under the interstate,” Trooper Scottie Pennington with KSP said.
So far, Pennington said there has been no evidence in locating Couch.
“We’re going to keep goin’. It will probably expand. And that’s just the job we signed up for,” Pennington said.
Pennington said they’re using drones to search the wooded area for any sign of Couch.
Residents on edge
Schools in the area were closed Monday in an abundance of caution as officials continued their search for Couch. They will remain closed on Tuesday.
KSP is advising residents in the area to use caution, be aware of your surroundings and to check on neighbors whenever possible and to check Ring cameras for anything suspicious.
“Stay strong. Please look after your fellow neighbors,” Pennington said.
Affidavit reveals chilling texts
Investigators in Laurel County have filed attempted murder charges against Couch. According to an affidavit in support of the charges, Couch allegedly texted a woman on Saturday before the shooting that read, in part, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” He then allegedly sent another text saying, in part, “I’ll kill myself afterward.”
The message was determined to have been sent at 5:03 p.m. on Saturday, according to the affidavit. The document states that once the woman received the message, she notified law enforcement to warn them about couch.
A motive for the shooting isn’t clear yet – but the sheriff says this is not a case of road rage. Officials said they haven’t obtained any information that makes them believe anyone else could be involved aside from Couch. Investigators said while it appears to have been a planned attack, they believe none of the travelers who were hit by bullets were specifically targeted.
Reward for information
A reward of $15,000 is being offered for information leading up to Couch’s arrest. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said the Kentucky State Police announced a $5,000 reward and then a private donor offered $10,000 to contribute to the reward.
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