No report of deaths just yet......but 5 people reported shot so far.
A manhunt is underway for a suspect after five people were injured in a shooting Saturday near an interstate in a rural area of Laurel County, Kentucky, located south of Lexington, according to the sheriff’s office.
All five victims are in stable condition, and authorities are searching for one shooter, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Public Affairs Deputy Gilbert Acciardo told CNN.
The active shooter situation occurred near Interstate 75, about nine miles north of the city of London, where “numerous persons have been shot,” said the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
The London Police Department has identified 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch as a person of interest who is considered “armed and dangerous.” He is described as a White man, roughly 5 foot, 10 inches, weighing about 154 pounds, police said.
London, Kentucky, is located around 80 miles south of Lexington.
The police department is urging people to contact their 911 call center with “any information regarding the whereabouts or location on this individual.”
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said via social media the suspect “has not been caught at this time. We are urging people to stay inside.” Law enforcement will provide “as much information as it becomes available,” he added.
The interstate was reopened on Saturday evening after it was closed for roughly three hours from exit 41 to exit 59, both northbound and southbound lanes, due to the active shooting, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisville said in a statement its officers were responding and assisting the Kentucky State Police and local authorities with a “critical incident” near Interstate 75.
London Mayor Randall Weddle said authorities were searching for the suspect or suspects in “rugged terrain and a lot of tree lines,” which may hamper their efforts, according to his video posted to Facebook around 8 p.m. local time.
