A person, who chose to remain anonymous, recalled the harrowing experience and said, “A black SUV, white male got out of it, no shirt on, red hat on backward, blue jeans. Came running through the intersection, came to the lot right here by my trailer.”
The witness had just departed the Wildcat ATV park when the suspect, identified as Joseph A.Couch, ran by and fled into the woods east of Exit 49. He reported that police quickly swarmed the area, according to WKYT.
“Had I not broken a brake line, I would have been on the interstate as he was shooting. That was scary,” the witness added.
The shooting began around 5:30 p.m. (US time) on Saturday near Exit 49 of the highway, about eight miles north of London, Laurel County Sheriff John Root said in a Facebook post. Twelve vehicles were struck by gunfire, according to Captain Richard Dalrymple of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
Couch was quickly identified as a suspect after police recovered his abandoned SUV and an AR-15 rifle near the scene.
Following the shooting, numerous individuals called 911. WKYT acquired nearly 20 minutes of calls from various people.
“Yeah, I am at the 49 exit, going toward Lexington. I just got hit, on the southbound side,” one man told dispatchers.
Some reported their vehicles being struck by multiple bullets, while others mentioned people being shot.
“She’s gushing blood. I’m trying to stop the bleeding,” one caller said.
“I’m sitting here with a gunshot wound. She’s starting to go numb on me. Starting to black out on me, bad,” the caller said in a later conversation.
Dispatchers instructed callers to remain in place and not drive away to seek assistance.
Who is Joseph A. Couch?
The manhunt for Couch began with authorities vowing to continue searching for him after the shooting that injured five people.
Couch has a military background, having served in the National Guard for four years with an engineer battalion. Despite his service, he has had minor run-ins with the law, including a 2015 conviction for criminal mischief and unlawful transactions with a minor. Earlier this year, he was charged with “terroristic threatening,” but the case was dismissed due to the victim’s failure to appear in court.
Authorities are still investigating Couch’s motives for the shooting, which they described as a “random act” of violence. No specific targets were identified, and law enforcement officials emphasized that the attack appeared to be unplanned.
Police Offer Reward for Information
London Mayor Randall Weddle urged people to provide information leading to the suspect’s arrest and advised them to stay alert.
“If you’re uncomfortable or you think somebody’s outside your home, call 911,” Weddle told CBS affiliate WKYT-TV on Monday. “With the number of units here, somebody’s going to get to you quickly.”
Weddle also stated that an anonymous donor had offered $10,000 for any information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Separately, the Kentucky State Police announced a $5,000 reward, bringing the total to $15,000.