Multiple people shot along highway in Kentucky; suspect at large, authorities say

Multiple people were shot Saturday along a highway near the southeastern Kentucky city of London in what was initially described as an active shooter situation, authorities said. A search was underway for the gunman. 

At about 7 p.m. local time, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office reported that “numerous people were shot” and Interstate 75 had been closed about nine miles north of London. The highway was fully reopened a little before 9:30 p.m. local time, the sheriff’s office reported, but the suspect remained at large. 

A spokesperson for the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington told CBS News that it had received at least two patients from the incident so far, but there was no word on their conditions. Lexington is located about 90 miles north of London.  

The sheriff’s office said it was searching for a person of interest in the shooting, 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch. He was described as a White man, about 5-foot-10 and weighing 154 pounds. A photo of Couch was also released.  

Trooper Scottie Pennington, a Kentucky State Police spokesperson, urged Laurel County residents in the area to remain inside. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded to assist state and local police with a “critical incident” near I-75, the agency said.

No further details on the incident were immediately provided. The exact number of victims was still unclear. 

“Kentucky, we are aware of a shooting on I-75 in Laurel County,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote in a social media post. “Law enforcement has shut the interstate down in both directions at exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more details once they are available.”