Police are still searching remote, heavily wooded southeastern Kentucky for a former Army Reserves soldier who opened fire on vehicles traveling Interstate 75 on Saturday afternoon, wounding five people.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele has filed charges of attempted murder and felony assault against Joseph A. Couch, 32, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported. Steele told the newspaper Couch would likely face additional charges related to damage to other vehicles hit by gunfire and evading police.
“The search for Joseph Couch continues by state, local and federal partners. The video below provides a snapshot of the vast area we have to cover.” Trooper Scottie Pennington, KSP Post 11 pic.twitter.com/fWYOsvvS4k
— KY State Police (@kystatepolice) September 9, 2024
An affidavit accompanying those charges says that Couch sent a text message to the mother of his child just after 5 p.m. Saturday saying he planned to “kill a lot of people” and then kill himself afterward. The woman called police after receiving the text but wasn’t interviewed until 1:30 Sunday morning.
Couch killed no one in the shooting. Three people were treated and released from a hospital in London, and two more are still hospitalized in Lexington in good condition. Investigators said 12 cars were hit by gunfire.
The affidavit also says that Couch, who was honorably discharged from the Army Reserves and not the National Guard as previously stated, bought the AR-15 rifle he used in the shooting and 1,000 rounds of ammunition from Center Target Firearms Saturday morning.
Search crews found the AR and several loaded magazines in the woods near where they believe Couch hid — on a cliff above the highway — to conduct his shooting rampage, CrimeOnline reported. They also found his silver Toyota SUV in the same area.
The gunfire began at Exit 49 in north Laurel County less than an hour after Couch sent the text message. Crews have been searching the remote, heavily wooded area since, although they stop in the dark because of the danger to searchers.
Kentucky State Police have offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Couch, and an anonymous person put up an additional $10,000.
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[Featured image: Exit 49 on Interstate 75 and the forests beyond and Joseph Couch/Kentucky State Police]
