Search efforts led by the Kentucky State Police were paused overnight and are set to resume after 8 a.m. Monday morning, Root said.
Just hours before the shooting, Couch legally purchased a firearm and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, sheriff’s office officials said.
It is also possible Couch has killed himself somewhere in the wilderness, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Captain Richard Dalrymple said Sunday.
Alongside helicopters, drones and K-9 teams, ground crews are scouring a mountainous search area that spans thousands of acres and is crisscrossed with ATV trails, according to the sheriff and Kentucky State Police spokesperson Scottie Pennington.
Until Couch is found, law enforcement are warning the community to stay vigilant for any signs of him and take steps to keep their homes safe.
If you have security cameras, make sure you’re constantly watching them, maybe keep your porch lights on,” Pennington advised residents.
Authorities searched the suspect’s house Sunday evening and are hoping to gain insight from electronic devices found inside, Dalrymple said.
More than 150 federal, state and local personnel are involved in the investigation and search for Couch, Root estimated, though only about 40 to 50 of those are on the ground.
While Couch did not appear to be targeting specific people, the attack did appear to be “a planned event,” Acciardo said Sunday.
Following the shooting Saturday, investigators found a vehicle registered to Couch along a forest service road off Exit 49, with an empty gun case inside.
As the deep-woods search for a man suspected of opening fire along I-75 enters its third day, schools throughout a large portion of central Kentucky have cancelled classes on Monday. Residents have been advised to remain on high alert.
After firing an AR-15 from a cliff ledge on the side of the interstate approximately nine miles north of London, Kentucky, on Saturday afternoon, authorities say Joseph Couch, 32, hit 12 cars and wounded five people. Couch has since escaped capture.
The Associated Press reported that Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Gilbert Acciardo stated that the attack seemed to be a “random act” of violence, despite the fact that his motivation is still unknown.
The Kentucky State Police’s search operations came to a halt overnight and will pick back up after eight in the morning. M. Root stated on Monday morning.
Couch might still be armed and hiding somewhere in the large, heavily forested area close to where his car, ammunition, AR-15, and maybe even his phone were discovered, according to Laurel County Sheriff John Root on Sunday night. Couch legally bought a gun and roughly 1,000 rounds of ammunition just hours before the shooting, according to sheriff’s office officials.
Couch may have killed himself in the woods, according to Captain Richard Dalrymple of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday.
The sheriff and Kentucky State Police spokesperson Scottie Pennington said that in addition to helicopters, drones, and K-9 units, ground crews are searching a mountainous search area that covers thousands of acres and is interspersed with ATV trails. Pennington stated that in certain areas, people are slicing through dense undergrowth with machetes.
Law enforcement is alerting the neighborhood to be on the lookout for Couch and to take precautions to keep their homes secure until he is located.
Locking your doors is a must. Pennington counseled locals, “If you have security cameras, make sure you’re watching them constantly. You might even want to leave your porch lights on.”. “Keep your cell phone with you and make sure it’s fully charged because you never know when you might need to call the police or another individual.”. “.
A number of private schools as well as over a dozen local school districts, including ones in Laurel, Jackson, and Clay counties, cancelled classes on Monday due to safety concerns.
Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, stated on Sunday that his office is in contact with the superintendents of local schools. “Of course, their top priority is keeping our kids safe,” he continued. “.
Despite the fact that no one was killed in the shooting on Saturday, Acciardo said that some of the victims suffered from “very severe” wounds, including one who was shot in the face and another “across the chest.”. According to him, some people were “critically hurt,” but on Sunday, their conditions remained stable.
According to Jackie Steele, the commonwealth attorney for Laurel and Knox Counties, Couch, a National Guard veteran, has a “very minimal” criminal history in the state. According to Steele, the charge against him for making terrorist threats was dropped earlier this year. On the charge, no other information was provided.
According to Dalrymple, authorities searched the suspect’s home on Sunday night in an effort to gather information from electronic devices they discovered inside.
Root encouraged the suspect to come forward during his remarks at the press conference on Sunday night.
Root declared, “This effort is not going to stop. Until we do lay hands on him, we’re not going to quit.”. “.
Search parties comb a forest that resembles a jungle.
The state police spokesperson likened the difficult task of searching through the large, remote forest to slogging through a jungle.
Because you don’t want to leave (any) stone unturned, you can’t work quickly. You are unsure of his whereabouts. Therefore, Pennington advised, you must approach your work very slowly.
Though only 40 to 50 of those are on the ground, Root estimated that more than 150 federal, state, and local personnel are involved in the investigation and search for Couch.
Couch did not seem to be specifically targeting anyone, but Acciardo stated on Sunday that it appeared that the attack was “a planned event.”.
Though Acciardo later stated it’s “extremely possible” the suspect is using telecommunications, he initially stated, “At this point, we do not believe he has outside assistance.”.
Couch’s level of preparation will determine how long he can stay alive in the wilderness; this is still unknown to the authorities.
After the shooting on Saturday, investigators discovered an empty gun case inside a car that was registered to Couch and was located on a forest service road off Exit 49. Although the car was “very near the interstate, the person of interest could not have fired from that location,” according to Acciardo.
Dalrymple said the suspect appeared to have gone to a cliff beside the interstate and fired from a ledge some thirty feet down the cliff. Subsequently, the AR-15 and a phone without a battery were found by authorities in the vicinity.
The victim claims, “I was just pouring blood when I looked down.”.
Rebecca Puryear, 28, was one of the victims of the shooting; what had begun as a family outing turned into a trip to the emergency room.
While returning to their home in Harlan, Kentucky, Puryear, her husband, and their 4-year-old son had spent the day in Lexington. They were approaching Exit 49 on I-75 when they heard gunfire.
Puryear told CNN on Sunday, “I asked my husband, and he said it was gunshots. It sounded like a tire had blown.”.
My ears start to ring the next moment I know it. I turn to see that there is a bullet hole and a crack in my passenger-side window. “.
Puryear drove for an additional quarter of a mile before stopping in a more secure location. She was shot, but not before making sure her son and husband were okay.
Puryear said, “I just started pouring blood as I looked down.”. “I had to try not to freak out because they would have freaked out too if I had.”. “.
As another ambulance pulled up behind Puryear to help other victims, she said they dialed 911. Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Bobby Roberts responded.
“He told me to get in his cruiser so he could take me to the hospital when I started fainting and passing out. “.
A bullet entered through the passenger-side window, according to Puryear, struck her right arm, went through her chest, and then emerged through her left arm. She will require surgery even though she was discharged from the hospital later on Saturday night.
“That I’m still here is a blessing for us. Puryear told CNN, “I’m a walking miracle.”. I’m sitting here with gaping wounds, but it still doesn’t feel real. “.
To this report, CNN’s Paradise Afshar, Jillian Sykes, Chris Boyette, Lauren Mascarenhas, Raja Razek, and Zoe Sottile contributed.
