Authorities are actively seeking a suspect following a shooting that left five people wounded near an interstate in Laurel County, Kentucky, just south of Lexington, as reported by the sheriff’s office.
The incident took place near Interstate 75, approximately nine miles north of London, with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office noting that “numerous persons have been shot.”
According to Public Affairs Deputy Gilbert Acciardo of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, all injured individuals are currently in stable condition.
During the incident, it was discovered that nine vehicles had been fired upon in both the northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate.
All injuries involved gunshot wounds, Acciardo confirmed with CNN. The London Police Department has named 32-year-old Joseph A.
Couch as a person of interest in the case, describing him as white, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighing 154 pounds, and he is considered armed and dangerous.
London Mayor Randall Weddle provided an update on Saturday night, stating that the general location of Couch is known, but chose not to disclose further details.
He urged the public to relay any information about Couch’s location to the 911 call center.
The interstate was shut for approximately three hours from exits 41 to 59 but reopened Saturday evening following the resolution of the active shooter situation, as stated by the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington advised residents to stay indoors as the suspect remains at large and promised to share updates as they become available.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisville also reported that its agents were assisting Kentucky State Police and local authorities in managing the critical incident near the interstate.
According to Mayor Weddle, the challenging search for the suspect involves navigating rugged terrain and dense tree lines, which could impede the search efforts, he explained in a Facebook video around 8 p.m. local time.
