Authorities in southeastern Kentucky have located a body near the site where a gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets onto vehicles on a busy Interstate highway, injuring five individuals in the process. State police Master Trooper Scottie Pennington shared the update in a social media post, indicating that efforts to identify the body were underway. The discovery was made close to the exit on Interstate 75 where the shooting incident occurred on September 7, near the city of London.
The specifics surrounding the body’s discovery have not been disclosed by the police at this time. The shooting incident involving the suspect, 32-year-old Joseph Couch, has left residents in the area uneasy, prompting heightened security measures and a significant law enforcement presence to locate the assailant.
A large-scale search operation, involving numerous law enforcement officers, has been focusing on the wooded and challenging terrain near the location where the gunman carried out the attack on the highway. Following intensive searches in the woods, authorities redirected their efforts towards increasing patrols in nearby communities to ensure public safety.
Local schools have resumed classes with enhanced police security measures in place to reassure students and staff. Details revealed that near the spot where Couch’s vehicle was discovered, belongings such as an Army-style duffel bag, ammunition, and spent shell casings were found. Additionally, an AR-15 rifle with attached sight and multiple magazines was located in close proximity.
Couch’s alarming text messages referencing intentions to harm individuals, followed by a suggestion of self-harm, have raised concerns about his motives. Despite the messages, the nature of the relationship between Couch and the recipient remains unclear. They share a child, born in 2016, although they were never married, according to legal representatives involved in the custody arrangements.