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LONDON, KY. —Authorities searched a rugged and hilly area of southeastern Kentucky on Sunday for a man who they believe may be linked to the shooting of nine vehicles and wounding of five people on a busy highway.
Although they said they couldn't yet name him a suspect in Saturday's shootings along Interstate 75, authorities said they consider 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch a person of interest and that they had recovered an SUV belonging to him. They later found a semi-automatic weapon near the scene that they believe was used in the shooting, but they haven't confirmed whether it belonged to Couch, said Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.
The search was focused on the remote area around where the shootings happened, which is north of London, a community of about 8,000 people roughly 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Lexington.
"We're going to go in and we're going to find this guy," Acciardo told reporters.
Authorities consider Couch, who is from Woodbine, a small community about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the shooting scene, to be armed and dangerous. They cautioned members of the public who might spot him not to approach him.
Acciardo said Sunday that law enforcement zeroed in on Couch on Saturday after they found an abandoned SUV registered to him near the crime scene. He said the shooting appeared to be a "random act" of violence, and wouldn't speculate as to a possible motive.
"There's been some speculation, but we're not ready to address that at this point," he said.
An AR-15 rifle was located Sunday afternoon in an elevated wooded area next to highway "that he could have shot down upon the interstate from," Acciardo said. Federal authorities are helping to process the evidence.
Acciardo said authorities were notified at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday about gunshots along the highway near exit 49. An individual who was "off that exit" fired multiple rounds into the northbound and southbound lanes, striking nine vehicles and wounding five people, he said. The shooter was not in a vehicle at the time.
"When our first two units got to the scene there, they said it was a madhouse: people on the sides of the road, emergency flashers going, bullet holes, windows shot out, nine vehicles shot. Can you imagine that? Just chaotic," Acciardo said during a news conference.
The wounded were hospitalized in stable condition early Sunday. Some had "very serious" injuries, including one person who was shot in the face, Acciardo said.
Residents of Laurel County were on edge as authorities searched on foot Sunday in a remote wooded area near the highway that has only one business and a few houses nearby. London Laurel Rescue squad sent a drone to assist. State lawmakers from Laurel County urged residents in the area to stay home during the search.
"We had numerous calls throughout the county and we're still getting them this morning," Acciardo said, of calls from concerned community members. "This is a remote area. If he was going to target some place that he wanted to do something like this, it was the perfect spot."
Rodney Goodlett, pastor of Faith Assembly of God in London, was helping direct traffic as parishioners gathered for a service Sunday morning. He said he expected the search to hold down attendance.
"There's definitely people ... that probably won't be here today - just nervous with the suspect still at large," he said.
Goodlett said the congregation was going to pray for the community, the wounded and the first responders, some of whom attend Faith Assembly, where around 275 parishioners pray each week.
"This is tragic, obviously, that somebody would randomly do violent acts," he said. "You hear media things taking place all around our country, but then when it hits home, it's a little bit of a wake-up call."
Authorities believe there was only one shooter, and Acciardo said they do not think the shooting was sparked by road rage. Authorities released a photo of Couch and warned residents to be on the lookout, but Acciardo cautioned that they "have not determined that this is the individual that fired the weapon."
"We do have the area contained right now. It's a very fluid investigation. Our people are still on the scene. Our special response team is there. We are trying to find a shooter there," he said.
Acciardo said the search s dangerous for first responders and is painstaking because of thick foliage There are "a lot of woods, a lot of cuts in the rock," he said. "He could be hiding behind a tree and us walk right up on him."
"We're just hoping for a good resolution," Acciardo said.
In an video update on Facebook late Saturday night, London Mayor Randall Weddle tried to calm fears. He urged residents to call 911 if they hear or see anything suspicious near their homes.
"We're asking folks please do not go outside your home shooting because we might have first responders in that area. It's important to know you are safe. We have multiple agencies in this community, in the city of London and in Laurel County," Weddle said.
Weddle said searchers "know the general area where this individual is," but he would not release specific details.
"I am receiving initial reports from the Kentucky State Police and our Office of Homeland Security - together we are actively monitoring the situation and offering support in any way possible," Gov. Andy Beshear said in a post on X. "Please pray for everyone involved."