Authorities in Kentucky continue to search for a person of interest after seven people were injured in a shooting incident on Interstate 75 in Laurel County, about 80 miles south of Lexington.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said it is attempting to locate 32-year-old Joseph Couch in connection to the incident, who they believe is armed and dangerous.
Authorities said they believe Couch was shooting from nearby hillside and is still in the area, but are asking people to avoid the area to prevent him from getting into a vehicle. They added that the shooting may have been pre-planned.
The sheriff’s office said they were called to I-75 near exit 49 around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday for reports of a gunshot victim and found nine vehicles with bullet holes.
The mayor of nearby London, Kentucky, said in a Facebook Live that there were at least seven people injured as a result of the incident. Five of those people were shot, while the other two victims were injured in a crash related to the shooting.
The victims were hospitalized in stable condition early Sunday, but some had serious injuries, authorities said.
The search for the person of interest continued on Sunday. The sheriff’s office said in an update it had located a vehicle registered to Couch near the shooting scene and investigators recovered an AR rifle near the site of the car.
Saint Joseph London hospital released a statement saying, “We are devastated by the events that occurred along I-75 in Laurel County, Kentucky Saturday night. We’re thinking of our friends and neighbors during this difficult time and praying for those who have been impacted. Saint Joseph London received multiple patients and is treating them for minor injuries.”
Interstate 75 was shut down for about two hours following the shooting but has since reopened.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he is receiving updates about the shooting and will provide more information as it becomes available.
“I am receiving initial reports from the Kentucky State Police and our Office of Homeland Security — together we are actively monitoring the situation and offering support in any way possible,” Beshear stated. “Please pray for everyone involved.”
Anyone with any information, including whereabouts, on Joseph Couch, please contact the London-Laurel County 911 Center by calling 911 or (606)878-7000.
This story originally appeared at WCPO.com