Kentucky community told to stay vigilant amid manhunt for ‘armed and dangerous’ person of interest in interstate shooting

A manhunt is underway after five people were shot Saturday near an interstate in a rural area of Laurel County, Kentucky, located south of Lexington, according to the sheriff’s office.

Residents are being told to remain vigilant as a manhunt continues for an “armed and dangerous” person of interest in the shooting that wounded five people Saturday on an interstate in a rural area of Laurel County, Kentucky, authorities said. Nine vehicles were shot into on both north and southbound lanes of Interstate-75 and five people were struck by gunfire around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said. All five victims are in stable condition, sheriff’s spokesperson Gilbert Acciardo told CNN. Joseph A. Couch was identified as a person of interest in the incident, the London Police Department said. He is described as a White man, roughly 5 foot, 10 inches, weighing about 154 pounds, according to police. “We know the general area where this individual is,” London Mayor Randall Weddle said in a Saturday night video update, adding that he will not provide further specifics. The mayor earlier said authorities were searching in “rugged terrain and a lot of tree lines,” which may hamper their efforts. It’s unclear what motivated the gunfire. “Investigation began and a lead was developed on a person of interest and the search for this person of interest is continuing,” the sheriff’s office said. “The scene is being contained overnight and an active search and the continuing investigation will occur at daybreak on Sunday morning,” the sheriff’s office said.