The seek for the suspect accused of launching a mass shooting on a Kentucky highway over the weekend continues Monday because it’s revealed he had texted somebody simply half-hour prior that he meant to “kill a lot of people.”
The seek for Joseph A. Couch, 32, who authorities described as “armed and dangerous,” continued in reference to the Saturday night shooting on Interstate 75, 8 miles north of the small metropolis of London.
Five folks had been shot and left critically injured. The wounded had been recognized by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Monday as: Rebecca Puyear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, Janet Booth and Erick Tavin.
Couch has since been charged with 5 counts of tried homicide and 5 counts of first-degree assault in an arrest warrant.
Once he’s taken into custody, “the court processes will begin quickly with the District Court,” Jackie Steele, commonwealth’s legal professional for the twenty seventh Judicial Circuit, stated in a assertion to NBC News. He may face different, much less critical costs in reference to the opposite drivers affected within the taking pictures, akin to property injury and wanton endangerment.
A $10,000 reward can also be now being provided for info on his whereabouts main to his seize, London Mayor Randall Weddle stated.
Couch had beforehand served within the Army Reserve and suffered from post-traumatic stress dysfunction, Weddle advised NBC News correspondent Priya Sridhar on Monday.
What we all know concerning the taking pictures
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the gunman within the taking pictures opened fire from three totally different perches alongside a ridge that appears down on the interstate. An AR-15, believed to have been used within the taking pictures, was discovered near Couch’s automobile that was discovered near the scene Saturday night time.
Dispatch obtained stories of a number of folks shot on I-75 round 5:30 p.m. on Sept 7.
Just a half hour prior, Laurel dispatch had obtained a name from a girl who stated that Couch had texted her saying he meant to kill a lot of folks, an affidavit for an arrest warrant obtained by NBC News stated.
Investigators interviewed that girl who referred to as dispatch on Sunday and she or he confirmed a screenshot of that text that learn, partly, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” Another message he sent to her learn: “I’ll kill myself afterwards …”In the taking pictures, at the very least 12 autos had been struck, although some did not notice their automobiles had been hit till they arrived at their locations hours away. As many as 20 to 30 rounds might have been fired, Sheriff’s Capt. Richard Dalrymple stated.
All the shot victims are steady and anticipated to survive, officers stated Sunday.
Officials stated Sunday that the suspect had bought the AR-15 and about 1,000 rounds legally at a native gun retailer Saturday morning. According to the affidavit, Couch paid $2,914.40 for the AR-15, a sight mounted on it and the ammo.
A gun case and several other charged magazines had been additionally discovered within the suspect’s SUV. Laurel County Sheriff John Root stated Sunday that the suspect went via all the correct paperwork and had nothing on file that may have prevented the sale.
An investigation into the taking pictures, and potential motive, now turned over to Kentucky State Police, stays ongoing.
A former Army Reservist with a comparatively clear file
Couch had served within the National Guard Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019, as a fight engineer, a spokesperson for the Army Reserve confirmed.
“He was a private at the end of service,” the spokesperson stated, noting he had no deployments.
Family members of Couch had advised investigators that he had grappled with PTSD, Weddle stated Monday.
“The reports came from some of the family member of Joseph, so they’re the ones that sent that on to investigators,” he stated.
He shouldn’t be a felon and has a comparatively clear file that features the March dismissal of a cost of making a terrorist menace and at the very least one alleged visitors violation, Steele, the prosecutor for the area, stated. He’s believed to have acted alone within the taking pictures.
Deputies had been looking for Couch within the distant woods near the scene of the taking pictures Sunday.
Weddle stated the terrain the place he could possibly be hiding is rugged and consists of an previous salt mine cave that runs very deep.
“This terrain is some of the roughest terrain to go in. A lot of trees, a lot of vegetation,” he stated. “People got to keep in mind, [Couch] has a military background. So when you hear a helicopter and it’s blacked out, he knows to hide, or he hears the thrum.”
Laurel County Public Schools stated college is canceled Monday “out of an abundance of caution.”
Weddle stated that he is heard from the governor’s workplace and the White House, providing help.
