
Authorities said they believe the suspect, who is wanted in connection with a highway shooting spree, withdrew deep into a forested area of southeast Kentucky, and there is no sign that he has escaped elsewhere. This led to an arduous manhunt that is now in its fifth day.
Former Army reservist Joseph A. Couch is being sought for throughout thousands of acres that have been compared to a jungle. Special reaction teams and trained canines are pursuing Couch, and the hunt has involved the deployment of helicopters and drones equipped with infrared technology. Troopers are chopping through thick foliage with machetes and scanning the sandstone cliffsides and caverns for any hint they’re coming closer.
Authorities claimed that Couch, 32, appeared to be acting randomly when he injured five individuals on Saturday night, and they are concerned that he may be out to kill.
Law enforcement officials said they are requesting information from the public if they see Couch and believe he may be desperate and dehydrated if he is still alive in the woods as they began their attempts on Thursday.
Master Trooper Scottie Pennington of the Kentucky State Police told reporters on Tuesday, “Whether he’s dead or alive, it’s our job to try to find him.”
A dire text warning
At about 5 p.m. Saturday, a lady who shares a child with Couch called dispatchers in Laurel County delivering a disturbing message.
“I plan to murder a large number of people. According to an arrest document, Couch wrote to her, “Well, try at least.”
“I’ll kill myself afterward,” he added.
A half-hour later, drivers on Interstate 75, roughly eight miles north of the small town of London, deluged dispatchers with various reports. Callers were in a panic.
“I was shot in the foot,” stated one.
Someone else was heard advising a friend to “breathe deeply.” Inhale deeply. You have my affection.
“I’m with a lady shot in the side, putting pressure on,” the speaker says in another excerpt.
At least 12 vehicles were hit, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, and several drivers were unaware of the damage until they reached their destinations. Five persons were shot, some in the face, arms, and chest, but none of the injuries were considered life-threatening, according to the police.
They estimate that up to twenty or thirty bullets may have been discharged.
They had a person of interest that day. Soon after, Couch was the subject of five arrest warrants for attempted murder and five charges of first-degree assault.
Evidence trail
On a U.S. Forest Service road, a silver Toyota SUV that had been abandoned was parked.
When the car was discovered by law police at approximately 7:55 p.m. on Saturday, they discovered it belonged to Couch. Sheriff’s Deputy Gilbert Acciardo later described the discovery to media as a “lucky break.”
Not far from the SUV, near the spot Couch is thought to have stood on the cliffside during the rampage, was another discovery: a semiautomatic rifle similar to the AR-15. According to the affidavit, the vehicles were struck at a “steep angle,” and the bullet holes were consistent with that kind of rifle.
Acciardo remarked, “From that wooded area, you might have shot down onto the freeway.”
A gun case, an ammunition magazine, and an Army-style duffel bag bearing Couch’s name in black marker were also gathered by the investigators.
Where was Couch, though?
Dozens of law enforcement personnel combed the hazardous terrain for hours that first evening before starting up again on Sunday morning.
By then, officials had issued a warning to the public about Couch, posting a photocopy of him with a faint smile on the internet and stating that he should be taken seriously as “armed and dangerous.” Although residents were advised to lock their doors, authorities think he didn’t make it too far and is probably still inside the untamed Daniel Boone National Forest boundary.
“There’s so many individuals that have eyes on this inquiry throughout the world that now we should have gotten a pretty good tip that he departed the woods,” Pennington told reporters 72 hours into the operation. “We don’t possess that.”
It’s just a matter of wearing Couch down, he explained, “like a hide-and-seek.”
Reason for the assault
According to the arrest affidavit, Couch lawfully purchased the semiautomatic rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammunition at Center Target Firearms, a gun store in London, on Saturday morning. $2,914.40 was the amount he paid.
It was unclear at first what motivated him to carry out the act, but authorities claim there is no proof he was collaborating with anyone or deliberately targeting anyone.
When NBC News contacted, the person who answered Couch’s mother’s phone hung up.
Meanwhile, information from Couch’s life have emerged as local, state and federal agencies work together to locate him.
Before being honorably retired in 2019, he worked as a combat engineer in the Army Reserve from 2013 to 2019, according to a military spokesman and state police. In addition to stating that Couch was never deployed, London Mayor Randall Weddle told NBC News that family members had also told investigators that Couch had PTSD.
Authorities visited his residence in Woodbine, which is roughly 23 miles from the shooting scene, during the search in order to gather evidence.
His criminal history includes, according to local prosecutors, at least one reported traffic infraction and the dismissal in March of a misdemeanor charge of making a terroristic threat during an altercation with a guy walking a dog.
The text messages Couch reportedly sent Saturday after he acquired a firearm reflect a fragile state of mind.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding Couch’s whereabouts, Laurel County schools are still shuttered as a precaution, and several businesses are only providing drive-thru service.
The reward for information leading to his detention has increased to $35,000, and authorities are begging for people to call in with tips.
Since the daytime high has continued to be above 80 degrees, Pennington added that the search on foot is still extremely difficult. Over the next few days, there is also a forecast for rain in the area. Every overturned tree “that doesn’t look right” could have information for police. According to Pennington, even candy bar wrappers that are left behind are considered proof.
Pennington expressed his hope that the man is not in possession of food or water during a press conference on Tuesday. “Hopefully, he’s exhausted and leaves the forest soon.”