Kentucky I-75 shooting: Manhunt for active shooter underway – US News – News – Daily Express US
A manhunt is currently in progress after five people were injured in a shooting near Interstate 75 in Laurel County, Kentucky, on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The incident took place in a rural area located south of Lexington. According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, all five victims are in stable condition. Authorities are actively searching for the shooter responsible for the attack.
The shooting occurred about nine miles north of London, Kentucky, where “numerous persons have been shot,” as stated by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch, has been named as a person of interest by the London Police Department. Couch is considered “armed and dangerous,” and the police have described him as a White man, approximately 5 foot 10 inches tall, and weighing around 154 pounds. The authorities have urged the public to report any information regarding his whereabouts to the local 911 call center.
The Kentucky State Police have confirmed that the suspect remains at large. Trooper Scottie Pennington shared via social media that law enforcement is working hard to apprehend Couch, but he “has not been caught at this time.” The public is being asked to stay inside their homes until further notice.
In addition to local law enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from Louisville has been dispatched to assist with the situation. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced that Interstate 75 is currently closed from exit 41 to exit 59 in both directions due to the active shooter situation. They have advised travelers to avoid the area and find alternative routes, as the stretch of the highway remains shut down.
As of Saturday evening, there is no estimated time for when the interstate will reopen. The Mount Vernon Fire Department has warned drivers to expect “significant delays” and is actively working to divert traffic off the interstate.
This incident comes just days after a mass shooting in Winder, Georgia, which left four people dead and nine others hospitalized. It also follows another recent shooting spree on an interstate in Seattle, where six people were injured. The spate of gun violence has drawn attention to the growing frequency of such incidents across the country.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear addressed the shooting via X (formerly known as Twitter), confirming that law enforcement had shut down the interstate in both directions at exit 49. The governor said his office was in contact with state police and Homeland Security to monitor the situation. He asked the public to avoid the area and said that more details would be provided as soon as they became available. “Please pray for everyone involved,” he added in his statement.
Matt Downing, a driver who was traveling on I-75 at the time of the shooting, shared his experience with CNN. He explained that traffic had been stopped for over an hour, with police cars swerving across lanes to halt vehicles. Downing estimated that around 30 police cars had passed by as authorities responded to the active shooter situation. At around 7:30 p.m., he reported that police had started turning traffic around and directing vehicles in the opposite direction to clear the highway.
The situation remains under investigation, and law enforcement officials continue their search for Joseph A. Couch, hoping to bring a swift end to this dangerous event.
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