A manhunt is in progress in Kentucky following a highway shooting near the city of London on Saturday, which left several people injured. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time (21:30 GMT) near Interstate 75, where police discovered that nine vehicles had been shot at.
According to the Laurel County Sheriff, seven individuals were injured in the attack, with five of them sustaining serious injuries. However, London Mayor Randall Weddle clarified that not all injuries were from gunshots, and fortunately, no fatalities have been reported.
Authorities have identified 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch from Woodbine, Kentucky, as a person of interest in the case. Couch is considered armed and dangerous. He is described as 5’10” tall, weighing approximately 154 pounds.
The shooting involved vehicles traveling in both directions along the highway, prompting the closure of Interstate 75 for several hours due to the ongoing threat to passing motorists. Local reports suggest that the shots may have been fired from a wooded area near the highway or possibly from an overpass.
Mayor Weddle, in a video posted to Facebook around 9:30 p.m. local time, confirmed that the suspect or suspects had not yet been apprehended. He noted that the area being searched includes rugged terrain and dense tree lines, complicating the manhunt.
One witness, Christina DiNoto, who was driving on I-75 at the time, described the moment when a shot struck her vehicle, shattering her back window and injuring her ear. Initially, she and her friend believed it might have been a rock, only learning later that it was a gunshot.
The Mount Vernon Fire Department later announced that a section of the highway near the shooting scene had reopened after being closed for about three hours. A spokesperson for the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington confirmed that at least two patients from the incident had been admitted, though their conditions remain unknown.
Trooper Scottie Pennington, a spokesperson for the Kentucky State Police, urged local residents to stay indoors and warned the public not to approach the person of interest. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is also assisting in the search.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated on social media that law enforcement had shut down the interstate in both directions near the shooting site. He advised the public to avoid the area and urged prayers for everyone involved.
London, a small city with approximately 8,000 residents, is located near the Daniel Boone National Forest.
