A week and a half after a highway shooting and a manhunt for an “armed and dangerous” suspect, Kentucky authorities have located a body near the scene of the shooting.
Kentucky State Police are working to confirm the identity of the body discovered in Laurel County, authorities said Wednesday.
Authorities have been searching for Joseph A. Couch, 32, since the Sept. 7 shooting near Interstate 75, 8 miles north of the small town of London. Five people were seriously injured in the shooting.
The weapon used, an AR-15 rifle, was purchased legally in London on the day of the shooting, authorities said.
According to law enforcement, the gunman parked near a ridge overlooking the highway to shoot at vehicles. He had about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, most of which were recovered.
In total, 12 vehicles were hit, according to the sheriff’s office, and between 20 and 30 rounds were fired. Some drivers did not realize until hours later that their vehicle had been hit.
The days-long search for Couch, a former Army reservist, has involved helicopters and drones equipped with infrared technology, while special response teams and trained dogs track him across thousands of jungle-like acres.
Couch was charged with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. Couch has no prior criminal convictions, although a charge of making a terroristic threat was dismissed in March, Steele said.
Just before the shooting, a woman who shares a child with Couch called Laurel County dispatchers and shared a chilling message.
“I’m going to kill a lot of people. I’ll at least try,” Couch wrote to him, according to a sworn statement made at the time of his arrest.
He added: “I will commit suicide afterwards.”
The motive for the attack has not been determined, and authorities say there is no indication Couch was targeting anyone in particular or working with others.
Doha Madani And Erik Ortiz contributed.
