Amidst the ongoing hunt for the I-75 shooter, students opt for a week-long absence, with law enforcement encouraging residents to steer clear of certain outdoor endeavors.
The manhunt for Joseph Couch, a 32-year-old, has entered its seventh day as authorities delve into the monolithic, rugged wilderness of the Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky.
Couch is accused of injuring five individuals at a range with an AR-15 rifle, following a text message that read, “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well, try at least.”
"This is an individual we believe is still armed (and) would be extremely challenging to locate," Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated on Thursday. "We want to ensure that no lives are lost during this operation."
The hunt has been complicated by difficult terrain, including sinkholes and caves. The vegetation is so dense that officers have had to use machetes to clear a path.
The massive forest covers an area of 1,106 square miles - larger than both Los Angeles and New York City combined.
"We have no evidence at this time that Mr. Couch has left the area," Kentucky State Police Master Sgt. Scottie Pennington commented.
"We kindly ask you - if you are in that area - to suspend your activities."
Specifically, the Kentucky State Police requested residents to refrain from hiking and hunting in the forest as the manhunt for the suspected mass shooter forces businesses to close their doors to customers.
A rain of bullets hits travelers
The shooting rampage commenced around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in Laurel County, about nine miles north of London, Kentucky.
Atop a cliff's ledge, the gunman unleashed a hailstorm of bullets onto I-75, hitting a dozen vehicles, according to authorities.
Five individuals were wounded and hospitalized. Four of the victims were discharged from the hospital, and the fifth is expected to recover, Beshear stated on Thursday.
However, he stressed the urgent need for blood donations. The governor and his wife donated blood on Thursday, urging the public to do the same.
The carnage on I-75 marked the second wave of interstate shootings in one week. In Washington state, five people were injured by gunfire, and another was hit by shattered glass during a string of shootings along I-5 in the Seattle and Tacoma areas.
While interstate mass shootings may seem uncommon, mass shootings have become a daily occurrence in American life.
At least 389 mass shootings have transpired so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents where four or more individuals are shot. That translates to more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.
Prior to the Kentucky shooting spree, the alleged gunman reportedly sent a text message: "I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well, try at least," as noted in the arrest warrant.
Subsequently - less than half an hour before the shootings commenced - Couch allegedly sent another message: "I’ll kill myself afterwards," according to the arrest warrant.
However, the motive behind the rampage remains unclear.
Students skip school days and businesses secure premises with a shooter still at large
As search parties traverse the Daniel Boone National Forest - spanning 21 counties in Kentucky - at least thirteen local school districts canceled at least one school day this week.
In Laurel County – the scene of the mass shooting – students were kept home for a fifth consecutive day on Friday. Laurel County Public Schools switched to online learning on Thursday and Friday.
Some businesses are also taking precautions, such as "offering drive-through services only and locking the doors," Laurel County Sheriff John Root stated this week.
No waiting period for gun sales in Kentucky
Like most states, Kentucky does not enforce a mandatory "cooling-off" period for buyers to wait before acquiring a firearm, according to Everytown Research & Policy.
Just hours before the I-75 shootings, Couch legally purchased an AR-15 alongside a sight and 1,000 rounds of ammunition, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The day following the shooting spree, authorities discovered an AR-15 believed to be used in the attacks, Laurel County sheriff's spokesperson Deputy Gilbert Acciardo disclosed.
"It was located in a wooded area adjacent to the interstate, in a position from which he could have fired down upon the interstate from that wooded location," Acciardo explained.
Authorities uncovered a vehicle registered to Couch near a forest service road off Exit 49, containing an empty gun case. Investigators also found several fully loaded magazines.
It remains unclear how many other weapons the supposed shooter possessed. However, Couch should be considered armed and dangerous, the sheriff's office confirmed on Thursday night.
A combined reward of $35,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter.
"We have received numerous tips from multiple states," Pennington declared. "We urge these tips to continue coming in because we never know, a small piece of information could lead us to making an arrest."
CNN’s Gloria Pazmino, Melissa Alonso, Andy Rose, Lauren Mascarenhas, Zoe Sottile, Emily Smith, and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.
The government and local authorities are urging everyone in the area to stay safe and avoid activities like hiking and hunting, as they continue the manhunt for Joseph Couch, the suspected mass shooter. With no evidence indicating that Couch has left the Daniel Boone National Forest, the us (community) is on high alert. The operations to locate Couch are challenging due to the vastness and complex terrain of the forest, making it crucial for everyone to cooperate and follow the necessary precautions.
