Police say they have discovered the body of a suspected gunman who went on a highway shooting rampage that injured five people in Kentucky nearly two weeks ago.
The body was found during a manhunt in Laurel County, along with paraphernalia that led police to conclude it was that of suspect Joseph Couch, authorities said at a news conference Wednesday night.
Authorities have been searching for Mr. Couch since September 7, when the 32-year-old allegedly shot at drivers on Interstate 75 before disappearing into a remote area.
Police say they are still working to formally identify the remains.
Authorities said the body was found just after 3:30pm local time (8:30pm BST) when two state police officers and two civilians crossed paths while searching for the suspect.
Civilians and officials alike were drawn to the area by the circling vultures.
It is unclear how long the body remained in the wooded area and how the person died, authorities said.
They plan to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death, they said.
An unspecified weapon was also found at the scene.
Local community members and authorities searched about 28,000 acres (43 square miles) of the remote and rugged area near where the incident occurred.
“People are scared,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root said Wednesday.
“This is not the normal situation here in Laurel County, so now that this has been discovered, I hope our county can get back to normal.”
The area is located approximately 9 miles from the city of London in southeastern Kentucky.
The two civilians who helped find Mr. Couch’s alleged remains are livestreaming the couple Fred and Sheila McCoy.
The couple could receive a total of $25,000 (£18,900) in rewards for helping authorities with their investigation.
Mr. Couch reportedly struck about a dozen vehicles traveling in both directions on the highway during the shooting.
Although all five victims survived the attack, some suffered serious injuries, including one person who was shot in the face.
Text messages Mr. Couch sent shortly before the shooting indicated he intended to hurt people, authorities said last week.
“I’m going to kill a lot of people,” he wrote, according to an arrest affidavit from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. “Well, I’m going to at least try.”
Authorities say Mr. Couch’s family has been cooperative throughout the search.
Schools in the area were closed in the first days of the manhunt.
