Kentucky officials in sixth day of manhunt for former Army reservist suspected in highway shooting spree
Published 8:52 am Thursday, September 12, 2024
Authorities in Kentucky are on the sixth day of a relentless manhunt for Joseph A. Couch, a former Army reservist suspected in a highway shooting spree that left five people wounded.
Believed to be hiding in the dense forested terrain of southeastern Kentucky, Couch, 32, has evaded capture despite extensive efforts by law enforcement. Here is what we know so far from recent reports:
- Authorities believe Couch has retreated into a forested area in southeastern Kentucky, with no indication he has fled elsewhere.
- Couch, a former Army reservist, is being tracked using helicopters, drones with infrared technology, special response teams, and trained dogs.
- The search spans thousands of acres of dense forest, likened to a jungle, with troopers using machetes to cut through vegetation and searching cliffsides and caves.
- Couch, 32, is suspected of randomly shooting and wounding five people on Saturday evening.
- Officials fear Couch is determined to kill and believe he may be desperate and dehydrated if still alive in the woods.
- Kentucky State Police are asking the public for tips on any sightings of Couch.
- “If he’s dead or alive, it’s our job to try to find him,” said Kentucky State Police Master Trooper Scottie Pennington on Tuesday.