Suspect in I-75 shooting eludes capture for a second night in rural Kentucky as officials warn the community to stay vigilant

By Paradise Afshar, Raja Razek, Lauren Mascarenhas, Chris Boyette and Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) — The man suspected of injuring five people when he opened fire on Interstate 75 over the weekend has eluded capture for a second night, prompting many area schools to close Monday as law enforcement are warning the rural Kentucky community to take safety precautions.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has identified Joseph A. Couch, 32, as the suspect thought to have fired into 12 cars on the north- and southbound lanes of the interstate on Saturday. Authorities said Sunday night they believe Couch is still in the remote, densely wooded area near where his AR-15, ammunition, car and possibly his phone were found.

“You need to lock your doors. If you have security cameras, make sure you’re constantly watching them, maybe keep your porch lights on,” Kentucky State Police spokesperson Scottie Pennington advised the community at a Sunday night news conference. “Have your cell phone and make sure your phones are charged up because you never know when you might have to contact somebody or law enforcement.”

Just hours before the shooting, Couch legally purchased a firearm and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, sheriff’s office officials said.

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, about nine miles north of the city of London, Kentucky. It appeared to be a “random act” of violence, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said, according to The Associated Press.

There were no fatalities, Acciardo said Sunday afternoon, but some of the injuries were “very severe”: One victim was shot in the face and another “across the chest.” Some of the victims were “critically hurt” but are in stable condition, said Acciardo.

The Kentucky State Police has taken command of the manhunt, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Richard Dalrymple said Sunday night. The FBI’s Louisville office is also seeking information on Couch’s whereabouts.

The search was paused Sunday night and will resume Monday morning after 8 a.m., Laurel County Sheriff John Root said.

Safety concerns have prompted more than a dozen school districts and local private schools to cancel classes Monday, including districts in Laurel, Jackson and Clay Counties.

Authorities describe Couch, of Woodbine, Kentucky, as a White man, roughly 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing about 154 pounds. On Sunday afternoon, authorities found an AR-15 in a wooded area by the interstate that they believe was used in the shooting Saturday, Acciardo said.

Law enforcement hasn’t yet determined a motive for the attack, Acciardo added. “He was not in a vehicle. No, definitely not road rage,” Acciardo told reporters at an earlier news conference.

While authorities don’t believe the gunman targeted specific people, the attack seemed to be “a planned event,” Acciardo said Sunday evening. Couch has a minimal criminal history, but “nothing of any significance” or like the Saturday shooting.

“We want to get this guy because he’s shot at cars, he’s shown that he’s capable, and that means he’s capable again,” Acciardo said of the suspect.

Manhunt continues through dense woods

As authorities continue combing the heavily wooded, hilly area, Acciardo said the suspect “couldn’t have picked an area that is any more remote and difficult for us to try to locate him.”

Between 40 and 50 officers from federal, state and local agencies are participating in the search, according to Acciardo.

Law enforcement on Saturday discovered a vehicle registered to the suspect on a forest service road off Exit 49, with an empty gun case inside. The vehicle was “very near the interstate, but not close enough that the person of interest could have fired from that location,” Acciardo said.

Authorities suspect he walked closer to the interstate, which is where they recovered the weapon and believe he may still be in possession of other weapons. They also recovered a phone, but the battery was removed. The fact Couch left his rifle behind may indicate he has other weapons, Acciardo said Sunday evening.

“At this point, we do not believe he has outside assistance,” Acciardo said. He later noted it’s “extremely possible” the suspect is using telecommunications in some way. He said the length of time the suspect is able to survive in the remote woods depends on his level of preparation – which is still unclear to authorities. He added it was possible Couch is no longer alive.

Law enforcement has advised residents to remain vigilant, call 911 if they see Couch and not approach him.

The search coordinated by the sheriff’s office resumed Sunday morning with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and a drone with infrared heat-sensing technology, police said.

“It’s very tedious and stressful,” Acciardo said of the search. “We’re just going to keep on plugging, because that’s what we do.”

“We have to look behind every tree, because what if he’s there?” he said.

Officers are expanding the search parameters as they search, Acciardo said.

Authorities plan to shut down the search overnight, but will keep the area contained before resuming in the morning, Acciardo said Sunday evening. “We really have to suspend it at dark because of the danger element of our guys being in there and maybe walking right up on this individual,” he said. Officers will stay in “in strategic positions to observe” overnight.

“It’s very possible” Couch has left the area, “but not probable,” said Acciardo, citing information he said was unavailable to the public.

The chance of Couch being able to get from the woods to a residence is “very remote,” he added.

The gun violence injected chaos into the Saturday commute just days after a mass shooting left four people dead and nine others hospitalized at a high school in Winder, Georgia — and less than a week after a half-dozen people driving on an interstate in the Seattle area were injured by a spree shooter. President Joe Biden was briefed on the Kentucky shooting, the White House said Sunday.

The Laurel County Public School system announced it would cancel classes on Monday, citing “an abundance of caution.”

Speaking at the Sunday evening news conference, London Mayor Randall Weddle said he hoped “people understand that this travesty, this act of violence, doesn’t define us as a community.”

‘I’m a walking miracle,’ says shooting victim

What started as a family day out ended with a trip to the emergency room for one of the shooting’s victims, 28-year-old Rebecca Puryear.

Puryear, her husband and 4-year-old son had spent the day together in Lexington and were on the way back to their home in Harlan, Kentucky, when they heard gunshots as they approached Exit 49 on I-75.

“It sounded like a tire had blown, so I asked my husband, and he said it was gunshots,” Puryear told CNN on Sunday.

“The next thing I know, my ears are ringing. I look over and my (passenger-side) window is busted and there’s a bullet hole.”

Puryear continued driving for another mile and a half before pulling over in a safer area. She made sure her husband and son were safe before realizing she had been shot.

“I looked down and was just pouring blood,” Puryear said. “I had to try to keep it together because if I freaked out, they would’ve freaked out.”

They called 911, Puryear said, and Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Bobby Roberts responded as another ambulance was headed to assist other victims behind her at the scene.

“I started fainting and going in and out, and he told me to get in his cruiser so he could take me to the hospital.”

Puryear said a bullet entered through the passenger-side window and struck her right arm, penetrating her chest before exiting through her left arm. She was released from a hospital later Saturday night but will need surgery.

“We’re blessed that I’m still alive. I’m a walking miracle,” Puryear told CNN. “It still does not feel real to me, even though I’m sitting here with gaping wounds.”

Driver recounts harrowing ordeal

One woman who was driving on Interstate 75 with a friend described witnessing the shooting unfold.

“We were just driving along, and all of a sudden, it was like a rock went through my back window, and it hurt my ear,” Christina DiNoto said.

It wasn’t until roughly an hour and a half later DiNoto and her friend learned about the shooting and noticed what appeared to be paint scrapes on the back of her car.

“My hands are still shaking,” said DiNoto, who added she feels incredibly lucky.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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CNN’s Sarah Dewberry, Sara Smart, Emma Tucker, Jillian Sykes, and Nikki Carvajal contributed to this report.