Manhunt underway in Kentucky after highway shooting that wounded five

A man wanted in what authorities said was a planned shooting on a Kentucky interstate that left five people seriously wounded and 12 vehicles riddled with gunfire remains at large in a remote wooded area.

The man, Joseph A. Couch, 32, was reclassified from a person of interest to a suspect Sunday afternoon after police recovered a vehicle that was registered in his name and a weapon near the vehicle, and interviewed people who authorities said made statements that identified him as the suspect. Couch, a Kentucky native, served four years in the National Guard in the engineer battalion. He was arrested, but dismissed, on a terroristic threatening charge this year.

The search began around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, but authorities called it off after running out of daylight. On Sunday, ground searchers lost daylight again searching for Couch, but police said they have formed a perimeter around the area and will be patrolling throughout Sunday night. The search area is a large wooded area near where the shooting took place on Interstate 75 at Exit 49, about 8 miles north of London, Kentucky.

Laurel County Sheriff’s Capt. Richard Dalrymple told reporters Sunday night that the suspect had shot from a ledge on a cliff side and down onto the highway. He was using a gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition he had legally purchased Saturday morning, according to investigators.

The weapon they believe he used, an AR-15 rifle, was found Sunday in a wooded area next to the interstate. Police believe he may still be armed.

Nearby communities were on edge Sunday night. Several schools canceled classes Monday as the Kentucky State Police said they would continue their search in the morning. Police warned local residents to lock their doors and to keep their porch lights on and devices charged.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters Sunday that all five victims were expected to survive and were in stable condition.

Investigators believe the attack was planned but the individuals were not targeted.

A motive for the shooting was unclear but Acciardo said that Couch was “committed” to his plan. He did not provide more details. Investigators were unsure if Couch had supplies or weapons in the wilderness where they believe he is hiding.

Officials found a small SUV registered to Couch at the top of a hill near the interstate Saturday night. The AR-15 was found Sunday “some distance” from the vehicle, Acciardo said.

A rifle case was recovered in the vehicle, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. A phone was also found but its battery was removed, Acciardo said.

Acciardo described a chaotic scene Saturday night, with several cars parked on the shoulder of the interstate with their emergency lights flashing and officers sorting through inaccurate reports about what had happened.

Deputies rushed some of the wounded to the hospital because of the severity of their injuries, Acciardo told The Courier Journal. Among the injuries, one person was shot in the face, another in the arm and another in the chest, Acciardo said.

Authorities found 12 vehicles damaged by gunfire, including bullet holes and windows that were shot out.

The search for the gunman was suspended until daybreak Monday because of the danger posed to law enforcement officials if they searched in the thickly wooded area at night. The search will continue Monday around 8 a.m.

Authorities were relying on 40 to 50 people, as well as dogs, a helicopter and a drone with an infrared scanner to help in the search.

“The area, it’s so remote, that’s probably one of the most remote exits along I-75,” Acciardo said. “He couldn’t have picked an area that’s anymore remote and difficult for us to try to locate him.”

Acciardo said that while authorities believed that the man was in the woods, they did not want to rule out that he could be somewhere else. He urged residents to be vigilant and to avoid the search area.

He said there were rocks in the area being searched, which could provide cover from the drone and those looking on the ground.

Daniel Boone National Forest covers the surrounding area where the shooting took place. The densely forested landscape is filled with cliff sides and large rock formations. Police said the area where they believe Couch is hiding is extremely remote with few homes.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.