I-75 shooter/ Joseph Couch manhunt/ Kentucky highway shooting/ Laurel County shooting/ Newslooks/ LONDON/ Ky./ Joseph Couch, accused of shooting five people on Kentucky’s I-75, sent a text vowing to “kill a lot of people” before the attack. Authorities are searching a rugged area near London, Kentucky, where Couch’s abandoned vehicle was found.
Kentucky Highway Shooter: Quick Looks
- Suspect: Joseph Couch, 32, sent threatening texts before the shooting.
- Manhunt: Police are searching rugged terrain near London, Kentucky.
- Victims: Five people were wounded; one describes a near-death experience.
- Shooter’s History: Couch served in the Army Reserve from 2013 to 2019.
- Gun Purchase: Couch bought an AR-15 and 1,000 rounds hours before the attack.
Kentucky Highway Shooter Vowed to Kill Many, Police Say
Deep Look
Authorities are intensifying their search for Joseph Couch, the man suspected of opening fire on Interstate 75 in Kentucky, wounding five people and damaging numerous vehicles in a terrifying spree. Before the Saturday attack, Couch, 32, sent a text message vowing to “kill a lot of people” and later wrote that he planned to kill himself after the shooting, according to an affidavit filed in court. The recipient of the messages, believed to be Couch’s ex-wife, alerted police shortly before the violence began, though the exact relationship between Couch and the woman was not clarified in official documents.
Couch is facing five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault, and authorities believe additional charges may follow. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office tracked Couch’s cellphone after receiving a warning about the texts, but they didn’t get a location until nearly 90 minutes after the shooting.
The shooting took place near London, Kentucky, a small city located about 75 miles south of Lexington. Couch is accused of firing 20 to 30 rounds with a Colt AR-15 rifle, hitting 12 vehicles and wounding five people. Rebecca Puryear, one of the injured, described her near-death experience to the Lexington Herald-Leader, saying she was shot in the arm while driving with her family. “This man was out to kill, and he almost did,” said Puryear, who is now recovering at home but will require surgery.
Search Efforts and Public Concerns
Authorities have launched an exhaustive search through thousands of acres of dense woods and rugged terrain near London, where Couch’s vehicle was abandoned. Trooper Scottie Pennington, spokesman for the Kentucky State Police, described the search as “walking in a jungle,” noting the presence of cliffs, caves, rivers, and thick brush that complicate efforts. “We’re not going to quit until we do lay hands on him,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root said.
Residents of southeastern Kentucky remain on edge as the manhunt enters its third day. Local schools were closed on Monday as a precaution. Donna Hess, a mother with two young children, agreed with the decision, saying, “I’d be afraid he’d try to hijack the bus and take the kids as hostages.” She and many others in the community are worried about where the shooter might surface next.
The area around I-75 remains under heightened security as law enforcement officers, some brought in from across the state, continue their efforts. Authorities are using machetes to cut through dense thickets in the remote area, hoping to find Couch, who remains at large.
Shooter’s Military Background and Gun Purchase
According to authorities, Couch is a former Army Reserve combat engineer, serving from 2013 to 2019. His service record shows he left the Army as a private and had no deployments during his time in the military. Though some speculated that Couch’s military experience might aid him in evading capture, Pennington downplayed the idea, noting that his survival skills were likely limited. “How long can you really survive?” Pennington asked, expressing hope that Couch would eventually turn himself in.
In a disturbing development, investigators learned that Couch purchased the AR-15 rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammunition from a gun store just hours before the attack. The gun store, Center Target Firearms in London, confirmed the sale but declined to comment further, stating that they did not want to interfere with the ongoing investigation. Joe Arnold, the store manager, expressed hope that Couch would be found and “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Kentucky’s loose gun regulations have come under CNN. The state does not require background checks at the point of purchase, nor does it mandate permits for carrying concealed weapons. Everytown For Gun Safety, a gun safety nonprofit, has labeled Kentucky’s gun laws among the weakest in the country. The state repealed its law requiring concealed carry permits in 2019, allowing people to carry firearms without a permit or background check.
The Aftermath and Community Reactions
As the search continues, survivors of the shooting are recounting their experiences. Rebecca Puryear, who was struck by a bullet while driving her Toyota Camry, described the chaos in the moments after the shooting. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘What was that?’ He said it was gunshots.” Puryear, who was bleeding heavily from her wounds, was urged by her husband to keep driving. They eventually pulled over, where her husband used a shirt to apply pressure to the wound as they waited for emergency responders.
Puryear, who is now recovering at home, expressed her gratitude for surviving the ordeal but worries for others. “In a blink of an eye you could not be here. I don’t want nobody else’s family to go through this,” she said.
Other residents of the area remain onCNN into its third day. Christina DiNoto, who witnessed the shooting while driving on I-75, said she is unnerved by the fact that the shooter is still at large. “To know that he’s still out there — that makes me nervous, honestly,” she told reporters.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about Couch’s whereabouts to come forward, as they intensify their efforts to bring him into custody and prevent further harm.
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