Kentucky shooting updates: Suspect was in National Guard, purchased weapon, ammo Saturday

Authorities in Laurel County, Kentucky, believe they have contained the suspect in a shooting that occurred about eight miles north of London on Interstate 75 Saturday evening within their search area, said Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's Department.

10 p.m.: KSP takes over manhunt; suspect was in National Guard

Joseph Couch, the man wanted in connection with the shooting, purchased a gun and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition Saturday morning, prior to the shooting on Interstate 75, officials said late Sunday night.

"He obtained a firearm at a local place here in London," Laurel County Sheriff John Root said, adding it was a legal purchase.

Couch is from the Knox County area and served in the National Guard for four years in an engineer battalion, according to Laurel County Sheriff's Captain Richard Dalrymple, who later added that officials had searched his house Sunday evening.

Dalrymple said the shots were fired about "30-feet down from the top of a cliff" near Interstate 75.

Several agencies are participating in the search for Couch including agents from the FBI office in Louisville.

Michael E. Stansbury, special agent in charge of the Louisville FBI office, spoke about the investigation into Couch.

"We have solid evidence. His vehicle was at the scene. A firearm that he purchased yesterday was at the scene" Stansbury said. "We have interviewed people; we feel pretty confident this is the individual."

Kentucky State Police officials have taken over the manhunt for Couch. Laurel County Sheriff's Office will handle the criminal investigation.

"We would ask that he would give himself up," Root said. "We're not going to quit until we lay hands on him."

Root said that the searches would resume after 8 a.m. Monday morning.

6:30 p.m.: Kentucky authorities continue search, pausing efforts at dark

Acciardo said in a 5 p.m. news briefing that search efforts for Couch will continue until nightfall but pose a safety risk to first responders after dark, especially due to the rough terrain.

“The plan right now is to continue doing what we’re doing while we have some daylight there, to continue to beat the bushes and try to find this suspect," Accriardo said. "We want to get him.”

He continued, saying no items "of any significance" have been located since the AR-15 on Sunday afternoon and they believe it was a planned event without "outside assistance."

London's Mayor Randall Weddle said the five victims remain hospitalized, some with serious injuries. He said one of the victims was from Bell County, and he believes the others were from across the commonwealth. None of the victims were from London or Laurel County, Weddle said.

6 p.m.: School canceled Monday for Laurel County students amid shooting investigation

Laurel County Public Schools will be closed Monday, as police continue to look for Joseph Couch, suspect in the ongoing shooting investigation. District officials said they canceled in-person classes "out of an abundance of caution."

The decision comes as London residents deal with tragedy following a shooting that injured five people Saturday.

4 p.m.: School districts consulting with police before making Monday decision

In a message to families Sunday afternoon, Laurel County Public Schools said it has not yet made a decision to open or close schools Monday, as it is waiting to learn more information from law enforcement officials regarding the shooting investigation. An announcement would come in a "timely manner," according to a Facebook post.

"The safety of our students and staff is our top priority," the district posted at 2:31 p.m., adding additional announcements would be shared on Facebook and the district's website.

Rockcastle County Schools has also said it is waiting to be advised by law enforcement before making a decision to open or close schools.

"We will keep our community updated as more information is received and a plan for tomorrow is solidified," the district wrote on Facebook at 12:56 p.m.

3 p.m. update

Joseph A. Couch is now considered to be a suspect in a police investigation of the shooting near I-75 Saturday evening, Acciardo said at a 3 p.m. news conference. Couch's car, a silver Honda CRV, was found in a wooded area near the interstate. An AR-15 and a loaded magazine were also located there.

"We think that he (Couch) is still in that area, but he could not be in that area. He could be somewhere else, anywhere else," Acciardo said, urging residents to be aware of their surroundings while police continue to investigate.

Police are also investigating in neighboring Whitley County, where Couch resides, Acciardo said. Couch's family is believed to be cooperating with authorities.

1:30 p.m. update

Law enforcement officials seized an AR-15 on Sunday afternoon they believe the shooter could have fired from a wooded area near I-75, Acciardo told reporters during an update on the investigation.

Officers also discovered fully loaded magazines in the wooded area. Acciardo said he could not confirm whether the AR-15 was loaded when it was found.

A vehicle registered to Joseph A. Couch, a person of interest, was found Saturday night in the wooded area near the interstate. Police located a gun case inside the vehicle.

Acciardo said the next news conference is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Noon update

Dense foliage and rocky terrain have impeded law enforcement’s search of the wooded area where Joseph A. Couch, identified as a person of interest in the Saturday shooting, is believed to be hiding, Acciardo told reporters in an 11 a.m. update on the ongoing investigation.

A drone with an infrared detector is flying above the area, but the foliage is so thick that “sometimes it can’t pick up what we want it to pick up,” Acciardo added. The area also has several large road cuts, where Couch could potentially be hiding underneath and therefore be blocked from view and the aerial sensor.

Approximately 30 to 40 officers are involved in the active search, including agents on the state and federal level.

“We have really skilled, dedicated individuals that are there, and they're trained to handle situations like this,” Acciardo said.

Acciardo said authorities are confident Couch is in those woods, but added that the community should stay vigilant and aware of their own surroundings to err on the side of caution.

“You know, he could pop up anywhere. I hate to say that, but he could,” Acciardo said.

Multiple businesses in London have closed indoor service and are only operating drive-throughs due to the active search.

Original story

The shooting caused an hours-long shutdown of Interstate 75 near Exit 49 and U.S. Route 25, according to a social media post made by the Laurel County Sheriff's Department around 2:30 a.m., Sunday.

Laurel County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. Saturday after reports of a gunshot victim on I-75. Upon arrival, officers noticed vehicles parked on the side of the highway with windows shot out and visible bullet holes, Acciardo said. Nine vehicles were found shot at on both sides of the roadway with five individuals injured.

Three gunshot victims were taken to the local Saint Joseph London Hospital for treatment and two others were taken to the UK HealthCare in Lexington, Acciardo said. Some deputies transported victims to the hospital due to the severity of their injuries. All the victims are expected to survive, Acciardo said around 9 a.m. Sunday.

Officers determined the shooter was camped out near Exit 49 and shot multiple rounds at traveling cars, Acciardo said.

Authorities closed I-75 for more than three hours while searching for the shooter. The highway reopened around 9:30 p.m., Saturday. Investigators searched the hilly, remote area until about 3 a.m. before pausing the search and securing the area for the night, Acciardo said. The search resumed Sunday around 9 a.m., he added.

A Kentucky State Police helicopter was utilized in the search Saturday night and will likely be involved again. More than a dozen first-response agencies are assisting the investigation, according to Laurel County officials. Special response teams from the U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Laurel County Sheriff's Department are collaborating on the search, Acciardo said.

"I'm sure we'll use all the resources that we can get up there," Acciardo said. "We believe he's in that area up there."

Acciardo is confident law enforcement has contained the person of interest and will be able to capture him today with the lineup of resources on hand.

"This happened late in the afternoon, close to evening," Acciardo said. "It's starting to get dark earlier, and we had very little sunlight to work for us. And we knew when the sun was going down that, you know, we had to stop. You know, we got all day today, all kinds of sunlight."

32-year-old Joseph A. Couch was identified as a person of interest in the investigation.

"I understand that the community is seeking more answers, but this is all the information I have at this time," London Mayor Randall Weddle wrote in a social media post early Sunday morning. "Let’s keep the victims, their families, and all of our first responders in our thoughts and prayers."

"Be vigilant," Weddle told WYMT when asked what residents should do. "Stay home and be vigilant there."

Ophelia Riley, a London native who lives about two hours away in Glasgow, said she travels to London every Sunday for church. She drove to town a day early this week after hearing about the incident. She has family in the area, and two of her relatives are involved in the investigation — her brother is a Kentucky State Police officer and her cousin is a Laurel County deputy, she said.

"I've been out all night just running around because I couldn't sleep," Riley said.

An event like this, she said, is far from typical for the community.

"Nothing really happens in Laurel County. It's quiet, it's family-oriented. Everybody looks out for each other," Riley said.

Acciardo agreed with her assessment.

"I've been in law enforcement here for 48 years, and I can never remember a situation such as this in our little county here," Acciardo said.

Who is Joseph Couch?

Joseph A. Couch, 32, was identified by Laurel County deputies as a person of interest in the investigation. He's 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.

Gilbert Acciardo, the spokesperson for Laurel County Sheriff's Department, said there isn't enough information to consider Couch a suspect at this time, but he anticipates he could be considered as more information is uncovered Sunday.

"We're not listing him as a suspect at this point, but he probably will, more than likely be a suspect before day's end," he said.

Couch resides south of Laurel County in Whitley County, Acciardo said.

Officials have not released any additional information on Couch as the search continues.

Where is London, Kentucky?

The shooting incident broke out near London, a city in Laurel County, Kentucky.

The rural 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 154 miles southeast of Louisville.

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.

What happened on I-75 in London, Kentucky?

Five people were injured in the shooting on I-75 near London, Kentucky, Saturday evening, according to officials. All five victims are expected to survive.

Laurel County officials first announced the closure of I-75 on social media around 6:36 p.m. Saturday. The highway remained deadlocked until it was reopened around 9:30 p.m.

The search for the shooter is active as of Sunday morning.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky shooting updates