Current:Home > MarketsKentucky shooting suspect faces 5 counts of attempted murder; search intensifies-LoTradeCoin
Kentucky shooting suspect faces 5 counts of attempted murder; search intensifies
View Date:2024-12-23 20:20:27
LONDON, Ky. − Schools for thousands of students in multiple Kentucky counties were closed Monday and residents were warned to lock their doors, keep porch lights on and remain vigilant as the hunt for a gunman who wounded five people in an interstate shooting spree rolled into its third day.
Authorities were combing through deep woods in this rural area of southeastern Kentucky for suspect Joseph A. Couch, 32, and warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. State Police announce a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said it had recovered a silver Honda SUV, an AR rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Couch legally purchased a gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition Saturday, hours before the shooting spree, the sheriff's office said. Authorities also found a phone without a battery they believe belongs to Couch.
London Mayor Randall Weddle said Couch faces five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. He encouraged his town of about 7,500 people to remain calm and focus on community and healing.
"I understand that emotions are running high," he said. "Together, we can navigate this challenging time with strength and compassion. ... We are Kentucky strong, we are London-Laurel County strong."
Kentucky State Police was leading the search. State police Master Trooper Scottie Pennington said troopers from around the state were searching a "jungle" environment, and machetes were needed to cut through some thickets. The sheriff's office was in charge of the criminal investigation. The FBI, ATF and multiple local law enforcement agencies were also involved.
"We're not going to stop on this case until we do find him and take him into custody," said Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Louisville, Kentucky, field office.
How did the shooting unfold?
Gilbert Acciardo, spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's office, said deputies responding to a 911 call at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday found vehicles parked along the highway riddled with bullet holes. Authorities later determined that at least a dozen vehicles had been hit. Some of the wounded were severely injured, he said.
Two people wounded in the shooting were being treated at Albert B. Chandler Hospital and were both in good condition, the hospital said in a statement Monday. Mary Branham, a spokesperson for CHI Saint Joseph Health, also released a statement Monday morning saying multiple people injured in the incident had been treated and released there.
Acciardo said initial reports indicated the shooting was a road rage incident between two vehicles. Officers later determined the shooter was camped out near Exit 49 and was shooting at passing cars, Acciardo said.
AR-15 found:Search for Kentucky highway shooter intensifies
Who is Joseph Couch?
Couch served in the Army Reserve from 2013 to 2019, was a member of an engineer battalion and had no serious crminal record, authorities said. Couch had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Weddle told NBC News.
The suspect is described as a white male, 5-foot-10, weighing approximately 154 pounds. He is considered armed and dangerous, and authorities are advising people to not approach him.
Acciardo said Saturday night there wasn't enough information to consider Couch a suspect. But by Sunday afternoon, he became one. Couch resides south of Laurel County in the Whitley County town of Woodbine, Acciardo said. Officials said they have searched Couch's house and his family is cooperating with the investigation.
Where is London, Kentucky?
London, with a population of about 7,500, is the county seat for Laurel County. The county sits in the southeast portion of the state and has a population of roughly 63,000, according to a 2020 Census estimate. Part of the Daniel Boone National Forest lies inside county limits.
It's about 90 miles south of Lexington and 100 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee.
At the crossroads of I-75 and Highway 80, Laurel County is primed for economic development and growth, according to the London-Laurel Economic Development Authority. The county is home to 17 manufacturers, 12 distribution warehouses and five food production sites.
Contributing: Marina Johnson, Killian Baarlaer, Eleanor McCrary and Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal
veryGood! (619)
Related
- Glen Powell responds to rumor that he could replace Tom Cruise in 'Mission: Impossible'
- Mila Kunis Shares Secret to Relationship With Husband Ashton Kutcher
- EBUEY: Balancing Risks and Returns in Cryptocurrency Investment
- New York Jets next head coach odds: Lions OC Ben Johnson leading candidate
- Georgia State University is planning a $107M remake of downtown Atlanta
- Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, suffers stroke
- Judge tosses a New York law that moved many local elections to even-numbered years
- Acting or hosting, Travis Kelce wants to continue to pursue a showbiz career. But first, football
- Dallas Long, who won 2 Olympic medals while dominating the shot put in the 1960s, has died at 84
- AI Ω: Reshaping the Transportation Industry, The Future of Smart Mobility
Ranking
- 3 Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib win $42M judgement against defense contractor
- Severe solar storm could stress power grids even more as US deals with major back-to-back hurricanes
- Voters in the US don’t directly elect the president. Sometimes that can undermine the popular will
- Mental health support for toddlers has lagged in Texas. That’s now changing.
- Florida man’s US charges upgraded to killing his estranged wife in Spain
- Erin Foster Reveals the Real-Life Easter Egg Included in Nobody Wants This
- Mississippi’s Medicaid director is leaving for a private-sector job
- Patrick says Texas Legislature will review Deloitte’s contracts after public loan project scandal
Recommendation
-
Police identify 7-year-old child killed in North Carolina weekend shooting
-
Victim of fraud? Protections are different for debit, credit cards.
-
EBUEY: Balancing Risks and Returns in Cryptocurrency Investment
-
Unmissable Prime Day Makeup Deals With Prices You Can’t Afford to Skip: Too Faced, Urban Decay & More
-
NFL Week 10 winners, losers: Cowboys' season can no longer be saved
-
Dylan Guenther scores first goal in Utah Hockey Club history
-
From baby boomers to Gen Z, no one knows how to talk about sex. Here's why.
-
Erin Foster Reveals the Real-Life Easter Egg Included in Nobody Wants This