Laurel County Sheriff’s OfficeSchools in several Kentucky counties were closed Monday as the search continued for a third day for a man suspected of shooting into a vehicle on a major highway, injuring five people.
The suspect in the shooting, Joseph A Couch, 32, was charged Monday with multiple counts of attempted murder and assault.
After the incident Saturday night, police believe the attacker fled to a remote and rugged area in southeastern Kentucky about 9 miles (14 kilometers) from London.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said they have recovered a silver Honda SUV and an AR rifle they believe was used in the attack, although the suspect may have had other firearms.
Police also found a cellphone they believed belonged to Couch but had its battery removed.
A warrant was issued for Mr. Couch’s arrest, charging him with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault.
Couch legally purchased the rifle and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition hours before the shooting, police said.
The shooting began at around 17:30 local time (21:30 GMT) on Saturday. Police initially said nine vehicles were hit by gunfire along Interstate 75, a busy north-south route. Later they increased this number to 12 vehicles.
The shots were fired from a ledge on a cliff overlooking the highway.
Five people were injured, some “very seriously,” including one who was shot in the face, officials said.
As of Sunday, all were stable and expected to survive.
London, Kentucky, Mayor Randall Weddle said the manhunt continued Sunday and some local businesses and churches remained closed.
Laurel County Sheriff’s OfficeAuthorities warned local residents to remain vigilant while the suspect remains at large.
“You need to lock your doors,” Kentucky State Police spokesman Scotty Pennington said Sunday. “If you have security cameras, make sure you’re monitoring them and maybe leave your porch lights on.”
Schools in Laurel County, where London is located, and several neighboring counties were closed Monday as a precaution.
Officials said the area is very densely wooded and the search has been slow. The manhunt was suspended after dark Sunday night, but police remained in the woods near Interstate 75 Exit 49, trying to contain the suspect.
“This is probably one of the most remote exits on Interstate 75,” Deputy Gilbert Arcciardo of the Laurent County Sheriff’s Office told reporters at a news conference. “This is a huge undertaking.”
When emergency services arrived, Mr. Arcciardo described the scene as a “madhouse.”
“There were people on the side of the road, emergency flashlights going on, bullet holes, windows shot out,” he said. “Can you imagine? Just chaos.
Mount Vernon Fire Department/Handout from ReutersPolice said they have not determined a motive for the shooting, but they are characterizing it as a random attack rather than a targeted attack. Couch had previously served in the National Guard, according to police.
The city of London has approximately 8,000 residents and is located near the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Christina DiNoto, who was driving on Interstate 75 with a friend at the time of the shooting, told CNN it was “like a rock went through my back window,” causing the Her ears hurt.
“We look at each other and think, ‘Is that a gunshot?’ And then we’re like, ‘No, that’s not a gunshot.
Just an hour and a half later, they learned a shooting had occurred, she said.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear wrote on social media that the area should be avoided and urged the public to “pray for everyone involved.”
