Nearly a week later and authorities are still on the lookout for Joseph Couch, the man accused of opening fire on Interstate 75 in Kentucky, injuring five people.Kentucky State Police, along with local authorities, FBI, and ATF, have been searching for Couch since Sept. 7, when he allegedly opened fire on I-75 near exit 49.Five people were hospitalized as a result, but as of Thursday, four of the victims have been released, and Gov. Andy Beshear said the fifth victim is expected to be OK.The exit has been closed since but reopened on Friday. KSP said there will be an increased presence in that area.Police have focused on Daniel Boone National Forest, saying there has not been any information that would lead them to believe he is elsewhere at this time.Due to the search, many schools have either canceled classes this week or moved to NTI, along with schools canceling sporting events.As it stands, there is a $35,000 reward for information leading to Couch’s arrest.The suspect Couch is alleged to have opened fire on I-75 near Exit 49 around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, hitting five people with gunfire. Three other people were injured in accidents stemming from the shooting.Police say they found his abandoned Toyota on top of a hill near a forest access road Saturday night. They then found an AR-15 they believe was used in the shooting on Sunday.The sheriff’s office said Couch legally obtained the AR-15 in London, Kentucky, on Saturday, along with about 1,000 rounds of ammunition.Authorities say Couch has a military background.”He was in the Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019 as a 12B combat engineer,” according to a U.S. Army spokesperson. “He was a private at the end of service. He has no deployments.”Couch is facing five charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault, according to an arrest affidavit.According to an affidavit, Couch sent a text message before the shooting saying, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” The warrant affidavit also said in a separate text, Couch said, “I’ll kill myself afterwards.”According to the affidavit, these texts were sent at 5:03 p.m. on Saturday, less than 30 minutes before the shooting happened.The arrest warrant says Laurel County Dispatch received a call from a woman describing the texts from Couch saying he was going to kill people.It does not say what Couch’s relationship is to the person he sent those texts to.Police say that Couch is should be considered armed and dangerous, warning people not to approach him if they see him. They are asking anyone who may see him to call police immediately.On Tuesday, police said they have recovered evidence from a home they investigated but would not go into any details.The victimsThere were five people hit by gunfire during the shooting on Saturday.Police said on Monday that all five of the victims have injuries that are non-life-threatening.The names of the five people shot were released as part of an affidavit for Couch’s arrest:Janet BoothNorma LiberiaRebecca PuryearErick TabinRenee WalkerAs of Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said that four of the five victims have been released from the hospital. The fifth person is expected to survive as well, he said.Three others were injured in accidents resulting from the shooting.The searchA state of emergency was declared on Wednesday as the search for Couch continued.Police are now entering the seventh day of their search for Couch.In an update on Monday, KSP said they had been slowly pushing through Daniel Boone Forest looking for Couch. Due to the terrain and nature of the forest, the search has to be slower in order to make sure they are not missing any evidence or potential leads.The search for Couch has been paused during nighttime, with police saying they are looking out for the safety of officers.They have been using helicopters, drones, and K-9 units to search the woods for Couch.KSP said on Monday that should Couch make his way outside of Laurel County or even the state. They have put out a notice and information to surrounding authorities to assist in detaining him.The Laurel County Sheriff’s Department said they have not gathered any information that would lead them to believe that someone else was involved in the shooting with Couch.Police said the search for Couch will continue until he is found.
Nearly a week later and authorities are still on the lookout for Joseph Couch, the man accused of opening fire on Interstate 75 in Kentucky, injuring five people.
Kentucky State Police, along with local authorities, FBI, and ATF, have been searching for Couch since Sept. 7, when he allegedly opened fire on I-75 near exit 49.
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Five people were hospitalized as a result, but as of Thursday, four of the victims have been released, and Gov. Andy Beshear said the fifth victim is expected to be OK.
The exit has been closed since but reopened on Friday. KSP said there will be an increased presence in that area.
Police have focused on Daniel Boone National Forest, saying there has not been any information that would lead them to believe he is elsewhere at this time.
Due to the search, many schools have either canceled classes this week or moved to NTI, along with schools canceling sporting events.
As it stands, there is a $35,000 reward for information leading to Couch’s arrest.
The suspect
Couch is alleged to have opened fire on I-75 near Exit 49 around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, hitting five people with gunfire. Three other people were injured in accidents stemming from the shooting.
Police say they found his abandoned Toyota on top of a hill near a forest access road Saturday night. They then found an AR-15 they believe was used in the shooting on Sunday.
The sheriff’s office said Couch legally obtained the AR-15 in London, Kentucky, on Saturday, along with about 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Authorities say Couch has a military background.
“He was in the Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019 as a 12B combat engineer,” according to a U.S. Army spokesperson. “He was a private at the end of service. He has no deployments.”
Couch is facing five charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault, according to an arrest affidavit.
According to an affidavit, Couch sent a text message before the shooting saying, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” The warrant affidavit also said in a separate text, Couch said, “I’ll kill myself afterwards.”
According to the affidavit, these texts were sent at 5:03 p.m. on Saturday, less than 30 minutes before the shooting happened.
The arrest warrant says Laurel County Dispatch received a call from a woman describing the texts from Couch saying he was going to kill people.
It does not say what Couch’s relationship is to the person he sent those texts to.
Police say that Couch is should be considered armed and dangerous, warning people not to approach him if they see him. They are asking anyone who may see him to call police immediately.
On Tuesday, police said they have recovered evidence from a home they investigated but would not go into any details.
The victims
There were five people hit by gunfire during the shooting on Saturday.
Police said on Monday that all five of the victims have injuries that are non-life-threatening.
The names of the five people shot were released as part of an affidavit for Couch’s arrest:
- Janet Booth
- Norma Liberia
- Rebecca Puryear
- Erick Tabin
- Renee Walker
As of Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said that four of the five victims have been released from the hospital. The fifth person is expected to survive as well, he said.
Three others were injured in accidents resulting from the shooting.
The search
A state of emergency was declared on Wednesday as the search for Couch continued.
Police are now entering the seventh day of their search for Couch.
In an update on Monday, KSP said they had been slowly pushing through Daniel Boone Forest looking for Couch. Due to the terrain and nature of the forest, the search has to be slower in order to make sure they are not missing any evidence or potential leads.
The search for Couch has been paused during nighttime, with police saying they are looking out for the safety of officers.
They have been using helicopters, drones, and K-9 units to search the woods for Couch.
KSP said on Monday that should Couch make his way outside of Laurel County or even the state. They have put out a notice and information to surrounding authorities to assist in detaining him.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Department said they have not gathered any information that would lead them to believe that someone else was involved in the shooting with Couch.
Police said the search for Couch will continue until he is found.