A man accused of carrying out a shooting over the weekend near Interstate 75 in Kentucky remained on the run Monday afternoon, eluding federal, local and state authorities.
Authorities say the suspect, Joseph A. Couch, 32, opened fire near Exit 49 around 6 p.m. Saturday, firing 20 to 30 rounds and striking 12 vehicles.
and an affidavit filed by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. Acquired by WYMT The Laurel County Communications Agency reported they received a call from a woman who claimed to have received a text message from Couch saying he was “going to kill a bunch of people.”
“After that I was going to kill myself,” Couch also wrote, according to the affidavit.
University of Wisconsin gymnast Kara Welsh was reportedly in the fetal position when she was shot multiple times by her boyfriend
on I-75 in Kentucky next to suspect Joseph Couch. (Associated Press, FBI)
The Lexington Herald-Leader identified the woman who received Couch's messages as his ex-wife.
Providing an update on the search Monday afternoon, State Trooper Scotty Pennington called the operation a “planned effort, similar to hide-and-seek.”
“Our goal is to steadily apply pressure on Mr. Couch and weaken him,” Pennington said. “Hopefully he has no water, no food, nothing.”
Pennington said Crouch had served in the U.S. Army Reserves but was discharged and had military experience.
According to the Army, Couch served in the Army Reserves as a 12th Combat Engineer from March 2013 to January 2019.
“He completed his military service with the rank of private and never deployed,” the Army said.
Pennington likened the forest surrounding the area to a jungle with cliffs, sinkholes, caves and culverts.
Suspect Joseph Couch remains on the run 48 hours after he opened fire near an interstate in Kentucky. (WDKY/London Police)
He urged members of the public to contact authorities if they witness anything suspicious.
““If you see anything strange in your area or come home and find your door unlocked, go outside and call someone,” Pennington said. “If you're at home, don't be alone. Keep your cell phone with you and connected to your phone at all times.”
Authorities combed the rugged hills near London, a small city of about 8,000 people about 75 miles south of Lexington.
Authorities recovered a vehicle and an AR-15 rifle during a search for the suspect on Sunday.
Trees line a wooded area along Interstate 75 near Livingston, Kentucky, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, as police search for a suspect in a shooting that occurred along the interstate on Saturday. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
According to the affidavit, Couch is charged with five counts each of attempted murder and first-degree assault.
The Laurel County Sheriff's Office is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Couch's arrest.
More than a dozen school districts were on lockdown across a wide swath of southeastern Kentucky on Monday as the search for Couch entered its third day.
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Couch most recently lived in Woodbine, a small town about 20 miles south of the shooting scene. Authorities said he bought the weapon and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition in London on Saturday morning.
The search involves multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, London Police Department and the Laurel County Sheriff's Department.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
