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On September 7, 2024, several people were injured during a mass shooting in Kentucky's Interstate 75 according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s office. The interstate was closed at Exit 49, along with the parallel U.S. Route 25, nine miles north of London, Kentucky.

Shooting

At around 5:30 p.m. a lone gunman shot 20–30 rounds at civilians in passing cars from a ledge on the side of a cliff overlooking Interstate 75, hitting twelve cars and seriously injuring five people. Victims were transported to Saint Joseph London Hospital and the UK HealthCare by ambulances and other law enforcement vehicles due to the severity of their injuries. All victims are expected to survive.

Victims

Eight people were injured, five by gunshot and three by vehicle collisions caused by the gunfire. All of the victims were in a stable condition.

Person of interest

A person of interest was identified as 32-year-old Joseph Couch of Woodbine, Kentucky. He previously served in the Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019 as a combat engineer (MOS 12B) with the rank of private. Couch weighs 154 lbs, has a height of 5'10", and has blonde hair. Before the shooting, Couch had legally purchased a firearm along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition from the gun store Center Target Firearms and then texted his ex-wife that he was going to "kill a lot of people" and then kill himself. Couch was previously arrested and charged on February 5, 2024, for making third-degree terroristic threats after threatening to kill his neighbor and his neighbor's dog with an AR-15.

Aftermath

Eight people were injured, including three people due to vehicle crashes caused by the shooting, twelve cars were shot and damaged, the highway was closed for three hours until around 9:30 p.m., an SOS alert was sent out and a manhunt is ongoing in search of the gunman, which resumed on September 8 at around 9 a.m.

Manhunt

The manhunt for the suspect resumed on September 8, 2024, and is ongoing with drones, police dogs, helicopters and dozens of police officers in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The police stated the shooting was a random attack, and was not road rage-related. Laurel County Sheriff's Office said they located the suspect's car, a semi-automatic Colt AR-15 mounted with a sight, several additional magazines, a phone, spent shell casings and a green Army-style duffel bag with 'Couch' written on it in black marker, in a wooded area next to the interstate. Schools in the area were closed on September 9 through September 11 as the manhunt continues. There is a $35,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

See also

• 1965 Highway 101 sniper attack
• Midland–Odessa shootings
• D.C. sniper attacks

References

1. "Multiple people shot along I-75 in southeastern Kentucky, authorities say". Fox16. September 7, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
2. "Manhunt underway after 5 people injured in Kentucky shooting near Interstate 75, officials say". CTV News. September 7, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
3. "Active shooter: At least 4 people shot on I-75 in Laurel County, Kentucky". BNO News. September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
4. "Kentucky I-75 shootings: Schools closed amid hunt for gunman". www.bbc.com. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
5. Tucker, Raja Razek, Emma (September 7, 2024). "Numerous people shot in Kentucky near Interstate 75, officials say". CNN. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. "Police resume manhunt for Kentucky shooting suspect". RTÉ News. September 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
7. "Suspected KY I-75 shooter may still be hiding in national forest. Police believe he acted alone". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
8. ^ Sizemore, Anthony (September 9, 2024). "Suspect sent texts before interstate mass shooting, affidavit says". WYMT-TV. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
9. "Kentucky shooting Sunday updates: Search for the suspect resumes". Courier Journal. September 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
10. Goodman, Danielle (September 8, 2024). "5 people shot during Laurel County shooting; Deputies search for person of interest". WLKY. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
11. "Manhunt for Kentucky shooting suspect cancels classes as authorities urge people to be on high alert - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
12. "Police identify Person of Interest in I-75 shooting investigation in Laurel Co". WTVQ and Associated Press. September 7, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
13. "Kentucky I-75 shooting suspect vowed over text to 'kill a lot of people,' arrest warrant says". CNN. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
14. "'I'm going to kill a lot of people.' I-75 shooting suspect sent texts before attack". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
15. "Kentucky I-75 shooting: Suspect charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault". Courier Journal. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
16. "I-75 shooting suspect was charged earlier in 2024 with threatening to kill man and his dog". WLKY. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
17. "5 people shot during Laurel County shooting; Deputies search for person of interest". WLKY and Associated Press. September 7, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
18. "Five People Shot on I-75 in Kentucky Highway Shooting, Officials Say". The New York Times. September 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
19. "Why the search for the Kentucky I-75 shooting suspect is so difficult". CNN. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
20. "Kentucky residents urged to stay 'vigilant' as highway shooter sought: Live updates". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
21. "AR-15 recovered near I-75 shooting scene in Kentucky as man hunt continues". MSNBC. September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
22. "Kentucky police recover AR-15, vehicle believed to belong to person of interest in I-75 shooting". WLWT. September 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
23. "Man accused of shooting 5 on Kentucky interstate vowed to 'kill a lot of people,' warrant says". Associated Press. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
24. "Kentucky I-75 shootings: Schools closed amid hunt for gunman". www.bbc.com. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
25. "Kentucky school districts cancel classes for third day amid manhunt". WKYT. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
26. "I-75 shooting manhunt: Reward increased again". WYMT-TV. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.

• 2024 in Kentucky
• 2024 mass shootings in the United States
• September 2024 crimes in the United States
• Mass shootings in Kentucky
• Laurel County, Kentucky
• Interstate 75