Kentucky shooting suspect faces 5 counts of attempted murder; search intensifies

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 announced 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.

Minutes before the rampage, Couch sent texts saying he was going to "kill a lot of people" and then himself, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The recipient said she alerted law enforcement after reading the text, the affidavit said.

London Mayor Randall Weddle said Couch faces five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. He added that an anonymous person offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who has information that would lead to Couch's arrest. The offer is separate from the one Kentucky State Police made Monday afternoon.

The mayor encouraged his town of about 7,500 people to remain calm and focus on community and healing.

"I understand that emotions are running high," Weddle 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. Pennington told reporters Monday afternoon that teams were using drones, helicopters and dogs to search through the Daniel Boone National Forest, near the site of the shooting.

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

Affidavit: Suspect said he planned to 'kill a lot of people'

The suspect told a woman shortly before the highway shooting that he was planning to "kill a lot of people," according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

In a text message sent at 5:03 p.m. Saturday, Couch further told the woman, who shares a child with him, that he planned to kill himself.

“I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least,” the text read, according to the affidavit. Another message, quoted partially in the affidavit, said: “I’ll kill myself afterwards…”

After receiving the message, the woman said she contacted law enforcement to warn them and was interviewed at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit.

Police also made contact with a London-based gun store, Center Target Firearms, where an employee confirmed Couch bought an AR-15 and 1,000 rounds of ammunition, according to the affidavit. Officials said Couch made the purchase Saturday morning.

According to the affidavit, the firearm fits the description of the one police found abandoned Sunday afternoon in the wooded area near Exit 49 of I-75. Couch's car was located Saturday night at approximately 7:55 p.m.

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.

Gun control advocates demand action after I-75 shooting

The shooting on I-75 that has shuttered residents in their homes, closed schools, and spurred an intensive manhunt comes on the heels of a mass shooting at a Georgia high school that killed four people and injured nine others.

"Just days ago, students like me in Georgia were ducking for their lives under desks when they should have been focusing on learning. Now we’re forced to do the same thing in our cars. When will this end?” said Alexander Jones, a volunteer leader with a local Kentucky chapter of Students Demand Action.

The shooting over the weekend also comes about one year after a gunman opened fire at an Old National Bank branch in downtown Louisville last April. Five people were killed, and eight others were wounded.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, an average of 827 people die by guns in Kentucky every year and more than 1,800 are wounded. Gun control advocates blame Kentucky's alarming firearms deaths rate — 14th highest in the nation, according to Everytown — on weak legislation.

The nonprofit group said Kentucky lacks all "foundational" gun safety laws such as secure storage requirements, mandatory background checks for all gun purchases, and assault weapons bans.

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Manhunt for suspect in I-75 shootings in Kentucky intensifies