Police began a manhunt early Sunday morning as they searched for the gunman who shot and injured five people in a rural part of southeast Kentucky.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has said that they are searching for Joseph A. Couch. Initially, they said he was a suspect but then named him as a person of interest. Authorities searched for him in an isolated area north of London. London is a small community with 8,000 residents, located about 75 miles south-east of Lexington. The search was handed over to the Kentucky State Police as of Sunday night.
“We’re gonna go in and find this guy,” Deputy Gilbert Acciardo told reporters on Sunday.
The shooting occurred around 5:30 pm local time on Saturday.
Acciardo reported that when the troopers arrived on the scene, they found many vehicles parked along the roadside at Exit 49. Acciardo reported that 12 cars had been hit. Acciardo said that a person who was “off this exit” fired several rounds in the northbound and southern lanes. Nine vehicles were hit and five people were injured. The shooter wasn’t in a car at the time.
“When our two first units arrived on the scene, they described it as a madhouse. People were lining the roads, emergency flashers were going off, there was bullet damage, broken windows, and nine vehicles had been shot. Imagine that! “It’s chaos,” he told reporters at a press conference on Sunday.
Acciardo reported that five people were shot Sunday night. All were in stable condition, though some had “very severe” injuries. One person was shot in the face. Authorities reported Sunday evening that the arm of another victim was severely injured. Acciardo stated that all five are expected to survive.
The University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington spokesperson confirmed that the hospital had at least received two patients as a result of the incident.
Authorities stated Sunday that they did not believe the shooter chose the exact location, but rather the specific individuals who were being targeted.
Authorities have warned the public not to approach Couch, who they consider to be dangerous and armed. Acciardo claimed that law enforcement had a “lucky breakthrough” that allowed them to pinpoint Couch. However, he could not elaborate.
Acciardo stated that Couch had a military background, and he served in the National Guard at least for four years. Acciardo said Couch had a “minimal criminal record” which included a traffic ticket, and a terroristic threats charge that was dismissed.
Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday that authorities discovered a rifle case in a silver SUV, registered to Couch. The sheriff’s department said that an “AR rifle” had been found near the location of the car on Sunday. Acciardo stated that the gun was legally purchased.
Authorities said that even though a rifle had been recovered, they were still worried Couch could have another weapon.
Randall Weddle, London’s mayor, posted a video on Facebook Saturday night to try and calm fears. The search for the gunman continued. He encouraged residents to dial 911 if anything suspicious was heard or seen near their homes.
We ask that you do not shoot outside of your home because there may be first responders nearby. You need to be sure you’re safe. Weddle stated that there are multiple agencies within this community.
The agency reported that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATFA) responded to help state and local law enforcement.
You always think that it won’t happen to you, but it is happening in our city. It’s heartbreaking, to say the least,” said Londoner Janie Vadlapati.
London Mayor Randall Weddle stated on social media “Yesterday’s tragic shooting doesn’t define who we as a community are. In this time of sadness, we need to come together and support one another, while remaining strong. We may never understand the full reason for this tragedy, but we won’t let it derail our progress.”
Rodney Goodlett was directing traffic while parishioners were gathered to attend a Sunday morning service. He predicted that the search would affect attendance.
He said, “There are people… who won’t be present today — they’re just nervous because the suspect is still at large.”
Goodlett stated that the congregation would pray for the community and first responders. Some of these people attend Faith Assembly where 275 parishioners gather to pray every week.
He said: “This is tragic that someone would do violence at random.” “You see media stories all over the country. But when they hit home, it is a bit of a shock.”
Acciardo, the Acciardo police chief, said that they believe there was one shooter and do not believe it was caused by road rage. Authorities released a picture of Couch, warning residents to stay alert. However, Acciardo warned that “we have not determined” that Couch was the person who fired the gun.
We have it contained for the moment. The investigation is very fluid. Our team is still on the scene. Our special response team has arrived. He said that they were trying to locate a shooter.
Acciardo says the search for the missing person is difficult and dangerous because of the thick vegetation. There are “a lot” of trees, and “a lot” of rock cuts. “He could be hidden behind a branch and we walk right up to him,” said Acciardo.
“We’re just hoping for a good resolution,” Acciardo said.
