Chilling clues found in manhunt for veteran Joseph Couch, 32, who ‘shot down cars & hurt 5’ as cops say it was ‘planned’
By Alexandra Chomik,
2024-09-09
DESPITE finding an abandoned vehicle, an AR-15 rifle, and a phone with its battery removed, suspect Joseph Couch continues to evade police days after a horrific shooting.
Couch, 32, has been at large since Saturday evening, when he allegedly opened fire along a Kentucky highway, striking 12 cars and injuring five people.
Joseph Couch, 32, is a suspect in the Saturday shooting of multiple people on the I-75 highway about nine miles north of London, Kentucky Reuters Police continue their search for suspected shooter Couch in the wooded areas alongside Interstate 75 near Livingston, Kentucky on Sunday, September 8, 2024 AP Kentucky State Police Major Eric Walker gives an update at the London Community Center in London, Kentucky, on Sunday, September 8, 2024 AP London Mayor Randall Weddle gives an update at the London Community Center on the efforts to find the suspect in the Saturday shooting along Kentucky’s Interstate 75 AP Traffic was stopped on Interstate 75 during an active shooter incident near London, Kentucky AFP
Over the weekend, authorities found a small SUV registered to Couch at the top of a hill near the interstate.
An AR-15 rifle was also discovered near the area, along with a cell phone, which was notably missing its battery.
Police were able to confirm that Couch purchased the firearm, along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, on Saturday, just a few hours before the shooting spree.
However, they have not confirmed whether the cell phone belongs to Couch or a third party.
Couch opened fire on Interstate 75, about eight miles north of London, Kentucky, just after 5:30 pm local time, shooting into at least 12 cars on the north and southbound lanes of the interstate.
He then fled into the densely wooded area alongside I-75.
Kentucky State Police Public Information Officer Master Sergeant Scottie Pennington speaks at the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, September 9, 2024 AP An aerial view shows the rugged, hilly areas of southeastern Kentucky alongside I-75, where the alleged shooter, Couch, is believed to have fled CBS Pennington addresses the media at the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office in London on Monday, providing updates on the efforts to find the suspect in the I-75 shooting AP
‘LOCK YOUR DOORS’
Police issued an arrest warrant for Couch, charging him with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault, according to Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesman for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
Nobody was killed during the shooting, and all five wounded individuals are in stable condition.
However, the injuries were serious, as one victim was shot in the face, a second in the arm, and a third in the chest.
At least 12 vehicles were also damaged, including windows shot out by rapid gunfire and bullet holes piercing through the cars’ exteriors.
‘TURN YOURSELF IN’
During a Monday afternoon press conference, Kentucky State Police Public Information Officer Master Sergeant Scottie Pennington urged Couch to turn himself in.
“We’re here to find Mr. Couch, and that’s our primary focus,” he said.
He called the search “tiresome” and stressed that it has not been easy.
London, Kentucky Mayor Randall Weddle's Official Statements
Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, Kentucky, shared a statement regarding the shooting on his official Facebook page.
“Yesterday’s tragic shooting does not define who we are as a community,” he wrote in a public message .
“In this moment of sorrow, we must come together, supporting one another and standing strong in the face of adversity.
“While we may never fully understand why this happened, we will not allow it to derail our progress.
“Let us hold the victims and their families close in our hearts and prayers, and let’s also pray for our first responders who are working tirelessly to apprehend this individual,” he wrote.
“Together, we remain united in love and resilience,” he added.
Mayor Randall Weddle also added three hashtags to his post, including #KentuckyStrong, #LondonKY, and #LaurelCounty
On Monday, the Mayor shared an additional message , acknowledging that “emotions are running high” as the search continues.
“In light of the recent shooting in our community, I understand that emotions are running high,” he wrote.
“I encourage everyone to remain calm and support one another,” he continued.
“Together, we can navigate this challenging time with strength and compassion.
“Let’s focus on community and healing,” he pleaded.
“I refuse to allow someone who chose violence to take us from our progress in this area,” he added.
“We are Kentucky strong, we are London-Laurel County strong,” he wrote.
“Pray for the victims and their families, pray for all our first responders,” he added.
“It’s a very slow process….we do not want anyone in this community….[and] the first responders to be harmed,” he said.
Still, Pennington confirmed the search will continue.
“We’re going to keep going, we’re going to go as far as we can go.”
‘LOCK YOUR DOORS’
Local communities are reeling from the shooting, closing down schools and a nearby community college as Couch remains at large.
Police are also encouraging locals to take additional safety precautions.
“You need to lock your doors. If you have security cameras, make sure you’re constantly watching them, maybe keep your porch lights on,” Pennington said during a Sunday night news conference.
“Have your cell phone and make sure your phones are charged up because you never know when you might have to contact somebody or law enforcement,” he added.
Ground crews, drones, helicopters, and K-9 teams have been scouring the densely wooded area surrounding I-75 for days.
In some cases, the brush is so thick that crews use machetes to slice their way through the forest.
Around 50 officers from federal, state, and local agencies are actively searching for Couch.
Some authorities believe Couch could be armed with other weapons, given that he left his AR-15 behind.
Others believe it’s possible that Couch may no longer be alive.
Laurel County Shooting: Timeline of Events
The shooting occurred on Interstate 75 a few miles north of London, Kentucky.
London Laurel E-911 first received calls from several people who had been shot on I-75 near exit 49, according to NBC affiliate WLEX Lex 18 News.
Saturday, September 7:
Saturday afternoon – Joseph Couch purchases an AR-15 rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Sometime between 5:03 pm and 5:30 pm – Laurel Dispatch received a call from an unknown individual stating that Joseph Couch texted them and said he was “going to kill a lot of people.”
Police then initiate an emergency cell site tracker on Couch’s phone.
5:30 pm – Shots are fired alongside I-75, damaging several vehicles and injuring five people.
6:53 pm – Police receive the first location of Couch’s cell phone, within 2,500 meters of a cell tower on exit 49 on Cromer Ridge.
7:55 pm – Officers located a Toyota CHR in Cromer Ridge, which they later confirmed belonged to Joseph Couch.
8:41 pm – An employee at Center Target Firearms confirms Couch purchased a rifle and ammunition earlier that day, spending around $3,000 on his purchases.
Sunday, September 8:
1:30 am – The individual who Couch texted (and who notified police about Couch’s plan) is interviewed by law enforcement.
Police confirm the texts were sent around 5:03 pm.
Sunday afternoon – Multiple individuals, including Laurel County Sheriff’s Captain Richard Dalrymple, Kentucky State Police Public Information Officer Master Sergeant Scottie Pennington, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Stansbury provide updates on their search, suspect, and new clues at the London Community Center.
Sunday evening – Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, Kentucky, shared a statement regarding the shooting on his official Facebook page, asking the community to stay safe as the first responders continue their search.
Monday, September 9:
2:30 pm – Kentucky State Police Public Information Officer Master Sergeant Scottie Pennington speaks at a press conference located outside of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
He tells the media the search continues, and urges the community to stay vigilant and safe as the search radius expands.
PRIVATE COUCH
While Couch remains at large, Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said that he believes the shooting was a “random act” of violence despite the “planned” nature of the attack.
Deputy Acciardo also ruled out road rage as a potential motive, revealing that Couch wasn’t inside a vehicle when the shooting took place.
Couch served in the Army Reserve for about six years between 2013 and 2019 as a combat engineer.
At the end of his service, he was a private, the Army’s lowest enlisted rank.
London’s Mayor, Randall Weddle, issued a public statement via Facebook on Sunday evening, saying the shooting “does not define who we are as a community.”
“We’re not going to quit until we do lay hands on him,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root also said on Sunday night, as reported by NBC affiliate WLWT 5 News.
“This effort is not going to stop,” Root added.
Still, the search temporarily paused overnight, with search parties resuming their work early Monday morning.
Scottie Pennington gives an update at the London Community Center on September 8, 2024 AP Laurel County Sheriff’s Captain Richard Dalrymple gives an update at the London Community Center in London, Kentucky, on Sunday, September 8, 2024 AP Wooded areas pictured alongside Interstate 75 near Livingston, Kentucky, on September 8 as police search for a suspect in a shooting Saturday along the Interstate AP Christina DiNoto recounts her close encounter with the Kentucky highway shooter CNN FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Stansbury gives an update at the London Community Center in London, Kentucky, on Sunday, September 8, 2024 AP
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