(NewsNation) — The manhunt for a suspect who allegedly shot five people on a Kentucky interstate Saturday is entering a third day.
Authorities believe Joseph Couch, 32, is hiding in a remote, wooded area of southern Kentucky. Police have warned the public to lock their doors, and schools across eight districts have canceled classes on Monday.
At least seven people were hurt, and Interstate 75 was closed for about three hours in Laurel County, Kentucky, just north of the town of London, after Couch allegedly started shooting at passing cars Saturday around 6:30 p.m. ET.
Law enforcement has yet to release names of the victims, but they are all expected to survive.
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Manhunt for Joseph Couch
The London Police Department posted a picture of Couch, initially naming him a person of interest and later as a suspect in the shooting after authorities said they recovered his SUV on a service road near the crime scene. They later found a semiautomatic weapon nearby that they believe was used in the shooting, said Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the local sheriff’s office.
“***DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPROACH***” is how the agency warned people about the man they deliberately avoided calling a suspect.
The mayor of London, Randall Weddle, in a Facebook video, said that the hunt will be challenging.
“That is some rugged terrain, a lot of tree lines,” he said. “But I’m confident they will apprehend them.”
Authorities called off their search overnight and plan to restart Monday morning, saying the wooded area of southern Kentucky was “dangerous and unforgiving.”
He also warned people in London, a town of about 8,000, to be vigilant.
“If you’re home, keep your doors locked. I’m not asking anybody to panic. There’s no immediate danger here in the city. If you’re out and about, just be vigilant.”
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Kentucky I-75 shooting
Laurel County sheriff’s deputies and Kentucky state troopers shut down I-75 on Saturday around 6:40 pm ET after reports of someone shooting at cars from either an overpass or the rugged, forested hills next to the road.
“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,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a post on the social platform X. “Please pray for everyone involved.”
“We will provide more details once they are available. Please avoid the area,” he added.
Police said Couch legally purchased the AR-15 he allegedly used Saturday along with 1,000 rounds of ammo from a gun store just hours before the shooting occurred.
Couch served in the National Guard for four years as part of an engineer battalion, police said.
A motive has yet to be determined for the shooting.
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‘No deceased at this time’: London mayor
Weddle said there were seven people injured, but not all from gunshots. According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, five of the seven were shot. Three were hospitalized in nearby London and two others were airlifted to University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington.
“There is no deceased at this time. No one was killed from this, thankfully,” Weddle said in a live post on Facebook.
“All of our first responders are safe,” he added. “The suspect, or suspects, have not been apprehended at this time, but they are searching for them.”
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I-75 closure
An 18-mile stretch of I-75, a major interstate that runs from the northern tip of Michigan just south of Miami, was closed for about three hours as police searched for a suspect.
It reopened at around 9:25 pm ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.