Manhunt continues for Joseph Couch, Kentucky man accused of I-75 shooting rampage

A manhunt continued on Tuesday for Joseph Couch, the Kentucky man suspected of opening fire on vehicles on Interstate 75 and injuring five people. Multiple counties in the area hunkered down and schools remained closed amid warnings from officials to keep watch for the suspect on the loose.

Authorities believe Couch is contained to a wooded area near Interstate 75, where a line of at least a dozen vehicles riddled with bullet holes was found on Saturday evening. They are combing areas in nearby Daniel Boone National Forest.

Law enforcement aims to "apply steady pressure at wearing Mr. Couch down," Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said at a news conference on Monday. "Hopefully he has no water and nothing to eat."

Authorities have deployed helicopters and drones to circle the area, and trained canines to search the woods, Pennington said. "Hopefully, he will basically just walk out of the woods and give himself up."

A picture posted to Pennington's Facebook page showing an aerial view of a wide wooded area around the highway "provides a snap shot of the vast area we have to cover," Pennington wrote. Pennington said troopers are searching a "jungle" environment, using machetes to cut through vegetation.

Local schools stay closed

Schools in nearby Laurel County, Kentucky, remained closed for a second day on Tuesday "out of an abundance of caution," Laurel County Public Schools announced. London Mayor Randall Weddle urged residents of the town of around 7,500 to stay calm and "stand together." London is around 140 miles southeast of Louisville.

"While one person's actions may seek to instill fear, they will not alter our spirit," he wrote on Facebook on Tuesday morning. "Together, we will heal, rebuild, and emerge stronger than ever."

Couch, a 32-year-old former member of the Army Reserves, is charged with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. He will likely face more charges for damage to other vehicles and running from authorities, Laurel County felony prosecutor Jackie Steele told the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.

More:Suspect said he planned to 'kill a lot of people' before I-75 shooting

Couch told the mother of his child in a text message the evening of the shooting that he planned to "kill a lot of people" and to kill himself afterwards, according to an affidavit released by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. Officials interviewed the woman at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Officials are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Couch's arrest, including $5,000 contributed by Kentucky State Police and $10,000 from an anonymous donor, according to Weddle. Judy Nicholson, the executive director of United Way of Laurel County, announced on Facebook on Tuesday morning that the nonprofit is contributing an additional $10,000.

Deputies on Saturday evening recovered an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition inside a silver Honda SUV abandoned near Exit 49 of the highway. An employee from Center Target Firearms in London confirmed to authorities that Couch purchased the gun and ammunition from the store the morning of the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Kentucky State Police are leading the search, while local deputies are handling the criminal investigation. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved, according to Pennington.

Although some of the injured were "severely" wounded, all are expected to recover, according to Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach her on email at [email protected]. Follow her on X @CybeleMO.