Last Updated on 09/09/2024 by Arun jain
A man wanted in a shooting on a Kentucky interstate that left five people critically injured and 12 vehicles riddled with gunfire remains largely in a remote wooded area, authorities said.
This person, Joseph A. Couch, 32, was reclassified from a person of interest to a suspect Sunday afternoon after police seized a vehicle registered to his name, a firearm near the vehicle and authorities interviewed people who gave statements. Called him a suspect. Mr. Couch, a native of Kentucky, served four years in the National Guard in an engineer battalion. He was arrested earlier this year on charges of making terroristic threats, but was dismissed.
The search began around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, but officials called it off as daylight ended. On Sunday, ground searchers again lost daylight in their search for Mr Couch, but police said they had set up a perimeter around the area and would be patrolling through Sunday night. The search area is a large wooded area near where the shooting occurred at Exit 49 on Interstate 75, about eight miles north of London, Ky.
Laurel County Sheriff’s Capt. Richard Dalrymple told reporters Sunday night that the suspect shot off the side of a cliff and down the highway. He was using a gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition that he purchased legally Saturday morning, according to investigators.
The weapon they believe he used, an AR-15 rifle, was found Sunday in a wooded area off the interstate. Police believe he may still be armed.
Nearby communities were on edge Sunday night. Some schools canceled classes Monday as Kentucky State Police said they would continue their search in the morning. Police warned local residents to lock their doors, leave their porch lights on and charge devices.
Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesman for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters Sunday that all five victims were expected to survive and were in stable condition.
Investigators believe the attack was planned but no individuals were targeted.
The motive for the shooting was unclear but Deputy Acciardo said Mr. Koch was “committed” to his plan. He did not give further details. Investigators were not sure if Mr. Couch had supplies or weapons in the desert where they believed he was hiding.
Officers found a small SUV registered to Mr. Couch on top of a hill near the interstate Saturday night. The AR-15 was later found “a short distance” from the vehicle Sunday, Deputy Acciardo said.
A rifle case was recovered from the vehicle Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. A phone was also found but its battery had been removed, Deputy Acciardo said.
Deputy Acciardo described a chaotic scene Saturday night, with their emergency lights flashing on the shoulder of the interstate and officers sorting through inaccurate reports of what happened.
Deputies transported some of the injured to the hospital due to the severity of their injuries, Deputy Acciardo said. Courier Journal. Among the injuries, one person was shot in the face, another in the arm and another in the chest, Deputy Acciardo said.
Officers found 12 vehicles with gunshot damage, including bullet holes and windows that had been shot out.
The search for the gunman was postponed until Monday morning because of the danger to law enforcement officers if they searched the densely wooded area at night. The search will continue around 8 a.m. Monday
Officials were relying on 40 to 50 people, as well as dogs, a helicopter and drones with infrared scanners to help with the search.
“This area, it’s so remote, it’s probably the most remote exit along I-75,” Deputy Acciardo said. “He couldn’t pick an area that is now remote and difficult for us to try to find.”
Deputy Acciardo said that while authorities believed the man was in the woods, they did not want to rule out that he could be somewhere else. He urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid the search area.
He said the area being searched has rocks, which could provide cover for drones and people watching on the ground.
The Daniel Boone National Forest covers the area around where the shooting took place. The densely forested landscape is dotted with cliff sides and large rock formations. Police said they believe the area where Mr Couch is hiding is extremely remote with few houses.
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