Kentucky State Police officials announced the discovery of a body on Wednesday, the 12th day of a search for a suspect linked to an interstate shooting that injured five people. The body was found near the scene of the incident.
Trooper Scottie Pennington confirmed that investigators are trying to identify the body found close to exit 49 in Laurel County. Authorities sought Joseph Couch, 32, described as armed and dangerous, the main suspect in the 7 September shooting on Interstate 75 near London, Kentucky.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office reported that 20 to 30 shots were fired from a hillside near exit 49 on I-75, hitting at least a dozen vehicles. Couch was initially a person of interest after deputies located his abandoned SUV on a forest road near exit 49. An AR-15 rifle, which Couch bought hours before the shooting and is believed to have used, was found in the woods near his vehicle, along with a bag bearing his name.
Couch became the primary suspect a day after the shooting. Investigators, following a tip, searched a home in Laurel County this week but found no evidence of Couch’s presence there.
Before the shooting, a woman called a Laurel County 911 dispatcher, stating Couch had texted her about his intent to “kill a lot of people” and “try at least.” This message was sent at 5:03 p.m. on 7 September, about half an hour before the shooting started. Another message read, “I’ll kill myself afterwards.”
On Tuesday, the search concentrated on the dense woods of the Daniel Boone National Forest. State and federal teams searched at least 28,000 acres of the over 700,000-acre forest. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced additional state resources to aid the ongoing search.
Local schools, closed for over a week due to the manhunt, reopened on Tuesday with a strong police presence. “We will not live our lives in fear,” Governor Beshear stated at a news conference on Tuesday. The school district emphasized in a statement that the reopening plan prioritizes the safety of students and staff.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Kentucky Lantern reports on the identification efforts of a body found near the Interstate 75 shooting site, highlighting the ongoing challenges and investigations by the Kentucky State Police. (Read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What prompted the Kentucky State Police manhunt?
An interstate shooting near London, Kentucky, that wounded five people.
Who is the suspect in the Kentucky interstate shooting?
Joseph Couch, 32, is the primary suspect in the incident.
Where was the suspect’s vehicle found?
Couch’s SUV was found abandoned on a forest road near exit 49.
What evidence was found near the suspect’s vehicle?
An AR-15 rifle and a bag with Couch’s name were found near the vehicle.
How has the manhunt affected local schools?
Local schools closed for over a week and reopened under heavy police guard.
