Manhunt for armed & dangerous I-75 mass shooting suspect continues; search area extended

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky law enforcement officials are still searching for a suspect in a mass shooting that happened on I-75 over the weekend.

Kentucky State Police is leading the ongoing manhunt for 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch of Woodbine, Ky.

Police say Couch shot five people on I-75 in Laurel County on Saturday evening.

He is described as 5′10″ and 154 pounds.

The public is asked not to engage the suspect; instead, they should contact law enforcement since he is still considered armed and dangerous.

KSP encourages anyone with information on his whereabouts to call any of the following law enforcement agencies:

• KSP Post 11 London: 606-878-6622
• Crime Stoppers: 606-682-1013
• County Communication: 606-878-7000
• Laurel County Sheriff’s Office: 606-864-6600

A reward totaling $35,000 has been offered for information that leads to Couch’s arrest. $15,000 of that reward is coming from Kentucky State Police. $20,000 of that reward is coming from private donors.

LATEST ON THE SEARCH

The seventh day of the manhunt began Friday morning.

After days of being completely barricaded, Exit 49 on I-75 is now open. Both north and southbound lanes are in full operation.

Trooper Scottie Pennington said the search for Couch has extended deeper into Daniel Boone National Forest.

KSP will continue to provide an increased patrol presence near Exit 49

KSP confirmed that a traffic stop with a heavy police presence happened at exit 49 Friday morning, but that was in connection with a drug investigation and is not connected with the manhunt.

STATUS OF THE VICTIMS

The five people hurt are Rebecca Puryear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, Janet Booth and Erick Tavin.

Puryear’s GoFundMe link can be accessed here

Governor Andy Beshear addressed the media in Laurel County regarding the manhunt Thursday morning.

During the briefing, the Governor confirmed that four of the five victims had been released from the hospital, and the victim still hospitalized is expected to survive.

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On Tuesday, officials with Daniel Boone National Forest announced that they were closing the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail between US-421 and KY-192 to support the ongoing search efforts.

“Right now, this is a crime scene, and we need to respect that the authorities need to be able to find evidence and to keep the public safe,” said Katherine L. Stone, Sheltowee Trace Association board member.

According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele, warrants have been obtained for Joseph Couch.

The warrants charge Couch with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of assault. More charges may be added later, including criminal mischief and wanton endangerment.

Officials say twelve vehicles were hit by gunfire.

They estimate at least twenty to thirty rounds were fired.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office confirms Couch purchased an AR-15 legally from a local business on Saturday.

Officials searched Couch’s home on Sunday.

County attorneys say Couch was charged with terroristic threatening in Knox County back in February, but the charge was dismissed.

CBS News confirmed with a U.S. Army spokesperson that Couch was in the Army Reserve for six years. The Kentucky National Guard clarified that contrary to previous reports, Couch was never a member of the National Guard.

Agencies that are assisting with the search are London City Police, Kentucky State Police, Corbin City Police, Williamsburg City Police, Richmond City Police, FBI, US Marshal service, ATF, Lexington Metro, Rockcastle County Sheriff’s office, Mount Vernon Police Department, East Bernstadt Fire and Rescue, London Fire Department, London – Laurel County Rescue Squad, Laurel County Emergency Management, ABC, Bluegrass Army Depot Police, and numerous area fire departments.

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