Police scale back forest manhunt for man accused of I-75 shooting in Kentucky

Police are retreating from the woods of north Laurel County and “reallocating resources” in a manhunt for a suspect accused of shooting five people on Interstate 75 this month.

Local, state and federal officials have been searching on foot, as well as with drones, helicopters and dogs, since Sept. 7 for Joseph Couch , who’s suspected of opening fire on the interstate about nine miles north of London. Police have repeatedly said they think Couch retreated to the vast, rugged terrain of the Daniel Boone National Forest after the shooting.

Over the past 10 days, 28,000 acres have been searched with the help of 14 agencies.

But in a news conference Tuesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and other top law enforcement officials said they are no closer to finding Couch and are moving resources to community patrols rather than searching in the woods.

“We need to bring the boots on the ground from the forest to our people,” Beshear said.

The manhunt for Couch, 32, paralyzed much of Southern Kentucky , as businesses locked their doors and some schools canceled classes and athletic events.

Tuesday was the first day classes resumed in Laurel County.

Beshear said police cannot definitively say if Couch is dead or alive, or if he remains in the forest. But Beshear said he encourages residents to avoid the forest, as authorities are using cameras in an effort to track Couch’s movements if he is still alive in the woods.

They will also continue to use aircraft to search “when available,” Beshear said.

After 10 days, he said there is “a very low probability that we will discover anything else” in the forest at this point.

Moving forward, Beshear said public safety will be best served by having more law enforcement officers in the community, rather than the forest.

“If he’s still out there, he knows he shouldn’t come near our people,” he said.

Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. emphasized that the changes announced Tuesday were “not a draw-down.”

He said people in the area can expect to see an increased presence of police at schools, sporting events and along school bus routes, as well as more patrols on roads. He said KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers from throughout the state will be working in the region.

“The best way we can prioritize safety of our families and communities is by this plan,” Burnett said.

A news release said state police will provide “school bus escorts and marked cruiser patrols outside of schools.”

Laurel County Sheriff John Root said the shooting left the county in a “chaotic” situation with “a lot of fear.”

“This is still an open and active investigation,” he said Tuesday. “We will not rest until Mr. Couch is brought into custody.”

More than 400 tips have been received about Couch, most of which did not involve the Daniel Boone National Forest, Burnett said. He and Root said they welcome continued tips from the public.

The FBI will continue to investigate Couch as a fugitive, Quincy Barnett, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Louisville office said.

Couch is wanted on five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. There were no fatalities in the shooting.

Couch sent texts to a woman before the shooting, saying “I’m going to kill a lot of people,” adding, “Well (I’m going to) try at least,” an affidavit states.

He said he planned to kill himself afterward.

After the shooting, police found his Toyota parked atop a hill on a U.S. Forest Service Road near Exit 49, where the shooting occurred. A rifle case was inside.

They later found a cell phone without a battery authorities suspect belonged to Couch and an AR-15 rifle, thought to have been used in the shooting, that he bought at a store in London hours before the shooting.

A reward of $35,000 has been offered for information leading to Couch’s arrest. Police say he is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.

Anyone with information about Couch’s whereabouts is asked to call KSP Post 11 in London at 606-878-6622, Crime Stoppers at 606-682-1013, Laurel County Communication at 606-878-7000 or the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office at 606-864-6600.

“We will not live our lives in fear,” Beshear said Tuesday, adding later, “We want you to be able to go back to your day-to-day lives, even though this is not a satisfying resolution.”

Ky. district scraps in-person school, several football games canceled amid shooter manhunt

How long could it take to find KY I-75 shooter? Similar manhunts show it may be a while.

What we know about the I-75 shooting in Ky, including the search for the suspect

Kentucky schools, businesses near I-75 shooting adjust to unusual circumstances