A man who allegedly opened fire near Interstate 75 in Kentucky over the weekend was still at large Monday afternoon, eluding federal, local and state authorities.
The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch, opened fire around 6 p.m. Saturday near exit 49, authorities said.
Providing an update on the search Monday afternoon, State Trooper Scottie Pennington called the manhunt a “methodical effort similar to hide and seek.”
Our goal is to apply steady pressure and wearing Mr. Couch down,” Pennington said. “Hopefully he has no water and nothing to eat.”
Pennington said Crouch has military experience, having been in the U.S. Army Reserve, but was discharged.
The U.S. Army said Couch was in the Army Reserve from March 2013 to January 2019 as a 12B combat engineer.
“He was a private at the end of service. He has no deployments,” the U.S. Army said.
Pennington likened the woods around the area to a jungle, with cliff beds, sinkholes, caves and culverts.
He urged the public to contact authorities if they encounter anything suspicious.
“If you see something that looks strange in your area where you live, if you come home and your doors don’t seem like that’s how you left it, back out and call somebody,” Pennington said. “If you’re at home, don’t be alone. Always have your cell phone. Have phone access.”
The search has involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the ATF, London City Police, and the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, among others.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
