Kentucky police recover SUV, AR-15 in manhunt for I-75 shooter

Kentucky police have recovered an SUV and an AR-15 rifle in the manhunt for a suspected gunman who, according to authorities, opened fire near Interstate 75, injuring several people and causing a car accident. 

A small silver colored SUV registered to the suspect – 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch – was recovered off a U.S. Forest Service Road off exit 49 off I-75 Saturday evening, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. A rifle case was also recovered in the vehicle. 

On Sunday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies recovered a rifle near I-75 and in the vicinity of the SUV recovered the evening prior. 

The discoveries came amid a manhunt launched after the shooting unfolded Saturday around 6 p.m. near exit 49 along I-75. 

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This image released by Kentucky’s London Police Department shows Joseph A. Couch, a person of interest in the Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, shootings on Interstate 75 near London, Ky.  (London Police Department)

Police initially responded to reports that a suspect was shooting at drivers from an overpass or a wooded area. Authorities later named Couch as a person of interest in the shooting. 

Authorities were searching for Couch in a rugged area with dense tree lines, London Mayor Randall Weddle previously said. (Laurel County Sheriff's Office)

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said five people were shot and were all in stable condition early Sunday, although some of the victims had "very serious" injuries, including one person who was shot in the face.

Two other people were hurt in the vehicle accident, he said.

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The search was suspended Saturday due to darkness, though officials kept the scene "contained" overnight, the sheriff’s office said. 

The search resumed Sunday and continues. 

Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

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