Several people were shot and wounded Saturday on a highway near the southeastern Kentucky town of London, authorities said. A search has been launched for the shooter.
At around 7 p.m. local time, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office reported that “multiple people were shot and injured” and that Interstate 75 was closed about 9 miles (14 kilometers) north of London. The highway was fully reopened shortly before 9:30 p.m. local time, the sheriff’s office said, but the suspect remained at large.
A spokesperson for the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington told CBS News that it had already received at least two patients following the incident, but there was no information on their condition. Lexington is located about 90 miles north of London.
Laurel County Sheriff’s Office
The sheriff’s office said it is looking for a person of interest in the shooting, Joseph A. Couch, 32. He is described as a white male, about 5’10” tall and weighing 150 pounds. A photo of Couch has also been released.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington urged Laurel County residents to stay home. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded to assist state and local police with a “critical incident” near I-75, the agency said.
No further details were immediately provided on the incident. The exact number of casualties is not yet known.
“Kentucky, we are aware of a shooting on I-75 in Laurel County,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote in a social media post. “Law enforcement has closed the interstate in both directions at Exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more details as they become available.”
Laurel County Sheriff’s Office
