Wanted suspect Joseph A. Couch allegedly threatened to ‘kill a lot of people’ before Kentucky highway shooting: arrest warrant

LONDON, Ky. — As a massive search continued Monday afternoon for the suspect in a shooting on a Kentucky highway that injured five people and left a dozen vehicles riddled with bullets, an arrest warrant released by authorities alleges the fleeing gunman sent a text message to a woman threatening to “kill a lot of people” about a half-hour before the highway rampage.

The suspect, Joseph A. Couch, 32, was also allegedly involved in a domestic dispute Saturday morning and legally purchased an AR-15 rifle and ammunition from a gun store hours before opening fire on vehicles traveling on Interstate 75 near London, Kentucky, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

Couch is wanted on charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault, according to an arrest warrant.

Before the interstate shooting, according to the arrest warrant, a Laurel County 911 dispatcher received a call from a woman who claimed Couch had texted her before the interstate shooting and “told her he was going to kill a lot of people. Well, let’s at least try.” The text message was sent to the woman at 5:03 p.m. Saturday, about a half-hour before the interstate shooting began, according to the arrest warrant.

“Couch sent another message to (the woman) which said, in part, “I will kill myself after,” according to the arrest warrant.

City of London officials told ABC News that the woman Couch texted was the mother of his child.

Details of the domestic dispute allegedly involving Couch have not been released.

Couch allegedly purchased a Cobalt AR-15 rifle with a mounted sight and 1,000 rounds of ammunition for $2,914 from a London, Kentucky, gun store Saturday morning, according to the arrest warrant.

SEE ALSO | Kentucky highway shooting suspect bought gun legally that morning, authorities say

Saturday’s shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. local time on I-75 at Exit 49, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from London, authorities said.

At a news conference Sunday night, Laurel County Sheriff’s Commander Richard Dalrymple estimated that 20 to 30 rounds were fired at vehicles in the northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 from a hillside near Exit 49. At least 12 vehicles were struck by gunfire, injuring five people, including one victim who was shot in the face, authorities said.

All five victims suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Authorities initially said seven people were injured in the incident.

Authorities said they do not believe any of the shooting victims were targeted.

State police announced Monday that a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.

A silver Toyota SUV registered to Couch was found abandoned on a forest road in the dense woods near Exit 49, according to the arrest warrant for Couch. An AR-15 Cobalt rifle believed to have been used in the shooting and a green military-style duffel bag containing ammunition and multiple magazines were found in about the same area, according to the arrest warrant. The duffel bag had “Couch” written on it in handwriting, according to the warrant.

Investigators believe the suspect was unprepared for a lengthy escape attempt in the woods because he left behind his gun, ammunition and vehicle. There is no indication so far that Couch had a stash of equipment that would have allowed him to disappear into the rugged terrain, investigators said.

Couch had initially been named the prime suspect in the shooting, and the sheriff’s office released his photo and said he was “considered armed and dangerous.” On Sunday afternoon, Laurel County Sheriff John Root announced that Couch had become the prime suspect.

Root said Couch has an address in Woodbine, Kentucky, and the sheriff’s office described him as about 5’10” and 150 pounds.

According to military records, Couch served as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019. Records show he was part of an Army Reserve engineering company, the 979th Engineering Company, based in Lexington.

SEE ALSO | Police search for person of interest, close Kentucky Interstate after reports of multiple shots fired

More than 150 law enforcement officers are involved in the search for Couch.

Authorities are focusing their search in the area of ​​Exit 49, although they have also investigated reported sightings of Couch in other areas in Laurel County and outside the county, officials said.

The area around Exit 49 is the most remote area of ​​I-75 and the terrain is densely wooded and rugged, Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

“We’re in the Daniel Boone National Forest, which is thousands and thousands of acres. It’s kind of like a jungle,” Pennington said.

Pennington said the plan was to continue to put pressure on Couch to “wear him down.”

“I hope he has no water and no food,” Pennington said.

London Police Department Deputy Chief Bobby Day told ABC News that authorities in the area believe Couch is hiding in a large cave system and that the search has included underground caves.

At least nine Kentucky school districts and a community college campus closed Monday due to safety concerns stemming from Couch’s search.

“The safety of students and staff is a priority at Laurel County Public Schools; therefore, as a precautionary measure, school is canceled for tomorrow, Monday, September 9, 2024,” Laurel County Public Schools said in a statement Sunday evening.