CNN
—
The sheriff’s office is searching for a suspect after a shooting Saturday near an interstate in rural south of Lexington in Laurel County, Kentucky, left five people injured.
All five victims are in stable condition and authorities are searching for one shooter, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Gilbert Acciardo told CNN.
The shooting happened near Interstate 75 about nine miles north of London, and “multiple people were shot,” the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies then found nine vehicles struck by gunfire in both northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate, according to the sheriff’s office. All five of the injured people suffered gunshot wounds, Acciardo told CNN.
London police identified 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch as the suspect, who is considered “armed and dangerous.” Police said Couch is a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 154 pounds.
“We have a general idea of where this individual is,” London Mayor Randall Weddle said in a video update Saturday night, adding that he would not provide any details.
London, Kentucky is located about 80 miles south of Lexington.
Police urge anyone with information regarding this individual’s location or whereabouts to contact the 911 call center.
“At this time, there are no suspects in custody and we urge people to stay indoors,” Officer Scotty Pennington of the Kentucky State Police said on social media, adding that police would provide “as much information as we can.”
The interstate was closed in both northbound and southbound lanes from Exit 41 to Exit 59 for about three hours due to the shooting, but reopened Saturday evening, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisville said in a statement that its officers were responding to a “serious incident” near Interstate 75 and were assisting Kentucky State Police and local authorities.
In a video posted to Facebook at around 8pm local time, Mayor Weddle said authorities were searching for the suspects in “difficult terrain and surrounded by many trees” which could hinder search efforts.
Weddle urged all city residents to remain vigilant and be aware of their surroundings. “If you’re at home, lock your doors. We’re not asking people to panic. There’s no immediate danger in the city, but again, we’re asking everyone to stay safe while these guys and this individual is on the run,” he said.
“If you think you hear something outside your home, don’t go outside and shoot,” Weddle said. “Police and emergency services may be in the area. Call 911.”
The outburst of gun violence erupted just days after a mass shooting at a high school in Winder, Georgia, left four people dead and nine hospitalized, and less than a week after a serial gunman shot and wounded six people driving on a Seattle-area interstate.
Gov. Andy Beshear, in an earlier statement about the X, said: “We are aware of a shooting that occurred on Interstate 75 in Laurel County, Kentucky. Police have closed the interstate in both directions at Exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
“Together we are actively monitoring the situation and providing all assistance possible. Please pray for all involved,” he said in a separate statement.
A woman who was driving with a friend on Interstate 75 from Rochester, New York, to Knoxville, Tennessee, recounted the horrifying details of the shooting in an interview with CNN. When they arrived in London, Christina DiNoto said she and her friend heard a “loud bang.”
“We were driving and all of a sudden we heard a rock go through the back window and our ears started hurting,” DiNoto said. “We looked at each other and thought, ‘Is that a gunshot?’ And we quickly said, ‘No, that’s not a gunshot.'”
DiNoto said he initially thought he had a flat tire when he noticed a truck driving alongside his car slow down and pull onto the shoulder of the interstate, then saw several police cars speeding by and “a bunch” of tires on the side of the interstate.
DiNoto and her friend didn’t find out about the shooting until about an hour and a half after it happened, and when they arrived at her house they noticed what appeared to be paint damage on the back of her car.
“My hands are still shaking,” DiNoto said, adding that he feels incredibly lucky.
This is a developing story and will be updated.