Investigators recovered an AR-style rifle off a Forest Service road near where a gunman opened fire Saturday on vehicles traveling on Interstate 75 in eastern Kentucky.
The rifle was found Sunday afternoon not far from where deputies found a silver Toyota SUV registered to the man the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has now named a suspect in the shooting.
At least five people were shot early Saturday evening, and all were listed in stable condition, as CrimeOnline reported.
According to the Louisville Courier Journal, three victims were taken to Saint Joseph London Hospital and two others were taken to University of Kentucky Healthcare in Lexington.
Authorities shut down the interstate near Exit 49 at about 6:30 p.m. and reopened the highway about three hours later. Search crews worked throughout the night to try to find the gunman, finally securing the area and stopping at about 3 a.m. They resumed at 9 a.m. Sunday morning.
Police initially named 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch as a person of interest, but on Sunday afternoon they officially named him a suspect. Late Saturday night, they found the vehicle registered in his name off the US Forest Service road near the exit where the shooting took place. On Sunday afternoon, they found the rifle “in the vicinity” of the vehicle.
Couch, meanwhile, is still at large. Search efforts have been hampered by the rough terrain in the area.
Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, said that investigators are not sure if he’s still in the area of the shooting, and they are investigating in nearby Whitley County, where he lives. Acciardo said Couch’s family is cooperating with authorities.
Kentucky State Police are providing air support in the search for the gunman, including thermal cameras.
Laurel County schools announced late Sunday that they would be closed on Monday “out of an abundance of caution.”
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[Featured image: Joseph Couch/Laurel County Sheriff’s Office]
