LONDON, Ky. − The manhunt for a gunman whose shooting rampage wounded five people and forced closure of a rural Kentucky interstate turned up an AR-15 rifle and fully-loaded magazines Sunday as the search for a person of interest in the case intensified.
A vehicle registered to Joseph A. Couch, the person of interest, was found Saturday night near Interstate 75 , hours after a gunman opened fire on passing vehicles before fleeing into the woods. Police located a gun case inside the vehicle.
Gilbert Acciardo, spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's office, said deputies responding to a 911 call at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday found vehicles parked along the highway with windows shot out or riddled with bullet holes. Some of the wounded were "severely" injured, though he said no fatalities were expected.
"Everything was chaotic," he said at one of multiple briefings Sunday.
Acciardo said Couch should "definitely" be considered armed and dangerous and that he would "more than likely" be considered a suspect by the end of the day. He added that authorities are confident Couch is in the woods but urged the community to remain vigilant.
“You know, he could pop up anywhere. I hate to say that, but he could,” Acciardo said.
Acciardo said initial reports indicated the shooting was a road-rage incident between two vehicles. Officers later determined the shooter was camped out near Exit 49 and was shooting at passing cars, Acciardo said.
"In a chaotic scene like this, you got to weed through everything and figure out what's going on," Acciardo said. "Yeah, we got some breaks in the in this case to identify a suspect early on, and I really think this is going to be the guy."
Acciardo said the initial hunt for the gunman was hampered by darkness and the terrain of the remote, wooded, hilly area about 160 miles southeast of Louisville. He said helicopters with infrared search tools were being used in the search. The interstate in the area was shut down in both directions for more than three hours. Investigators paused the search at about 3 a.m., resuming about six hours later.
Approximately 30 to 40 officers were involved in the search. A drone with an infrared detector was flying above the area, but the woods’ foliage is so thick that “sometimes it can’t pick up what we want it to pick up,” Acciardo said.
Ophelia Riley, a London native who still travels to London every Sunday for church, said she drove to town a day early 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.
An event like this, she said, is far from typical for the community.
"I've been out all night just running around because I couldn't sleep," Riley said. "Nothing really happens in Laurel County. It's quiet, it's family-oriented. Everybody looks out for each other."
More than a dozen first-response agencies are assisting the investigation, according to Laurel County officials. Gov. Andy Beshear was monitoring the case and thanked first responsers for their efforts. Kentucky State Police was aiding the search and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisville said in a statement its officers were assisting.
"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. "Please remain vigilant and call 911 if you see the individual in question."
London, with a population of about 7,500, is the county seat for Laurel County. The 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 an 100 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee.
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.
"I've been in law enforcement here for 48 years, and I can never remember a situation such as this in our little county," Acciardo said.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: AR-15 found as search for Kentucky highway shooter intensifies: Live updates
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