Manhunt underway after 5 people hurt in Kentucky highway shooting

A manhunt is underway early Sunday as police searched for a gunman in a rural area of southeastern Kentucky who is believed to have shot and injured five people near Interstate 75.

The shooting on Saturday happened around 5 p.m. local time. The Laurel County Sheriff's Office reported that "numerous people were shot" near the highway.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's Office, said when troopers arrived at the scene in London, a small city of about 8,000 located about 75 miles south of Lexington, they found numerous vehicles on the side of the highway at Exit 49.

"When our first two units got to the scene there, they said it was a madhouse: people on the sides of the road, emergency flashers going, bullet holes, windows shot out, nine vehicles shot. Can you imagine that? Just chaotic," Acciardo said Sunday during a news conference.

Five people were shot and all were in stable condition early Sunday, although some of the victims had "very serious" injuries, including one person who was shot in the face, Acciardo said.

A spokesperson for the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington told CBS News that it had received at least two patients from the incident so far.

Authorities believe there was only one shooter and Acciardo said they do not believe the shooting was sparked by road rage.

The sheriff's office said it was searching for a person of interest in the shooting, 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch. He was described as a White man, about 5-foot-10 and weighing 154 pounds. A photo of Couch was also released.

"We're going to go in and we're going to find this guy," Acciardo told reporters Sunday.

Authorities consider Couch to be armed and dangerous, and they cautioned members of the public who might spot him not to approach him. Acciardo said law enforcement got a "lucky break" that led them to zero in on Couch as a person of interest, but that he couldn't elaborate.

Trooper Scottie Pennington, a Kentucky State Police spokesperson, urged Laurel County residents in the area to remain inside.

In a video update on Facebook late Saturday night, London Mayor Randall Weddle tried to calm fears as the search continued for the gunman. He urged residents to call 911 if they hear or see anything suspicious near their homes.

"We're asking folks please do not go outside your home shooting because we might have first responders in that area. It's important to know you are safe. We have multiple agencies in this community, in the city of London and in Laurel County," Weddle said.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded to assist state and local police with a "critical incident" near I-75, the agency said .

No further details on the incident were immediately provided

Rodney Goodlett, pastor of Faith Assembly of God in London, was helping direct traffic as parishioners gathered for a service Sunday morning. He said he expected the search to hold down attendance.

"There's definitely people … that probably won't be here today — just nervous with the suspect still at large," he said.

Goodlett said the congregation was going to pray for the community, the wounded and the first responders, some of whom attend Faith Assembly, where around 275 parishioners pray each week.

"This is tragic, obviously, that somebody would randomly do violent acts," he said. "You hear media things taking place all around our country, but then when it hits home, it's a little bit of a wake-up call."