Suspect said he planned to 'kill a lot of people' before I-75 shooting
Joseph Couch, the Eastern Kentucky man charged in connection to the shooting on Interstate 75 that wounded five people, said he was planning to "kill a lot of people" less than an hour before the incident, according to an affidavit released by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.
In a text message sent at 5:03 p.m. Saturday, Couch told a woman, who shares a child with him, that he planned to kill himself afterwards.
After receiving the message, the woman contacted law enforcement and was interviewed at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
Local, state and federal authorities are continuing to search for Couch in Daniel Boone National Forest, near where the shooting took place.
Police also made contact with a London-based gun store, Center Target Firearms, where an employee confirmed Couch bought an AR-15 and 1,000 rounds of ammunition, according to the affidavit. Officials say Couch, who was part of the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged, made the purchase Saturday morning, prior to the shooting.
According to the affidavit, that firearm fits the description of the one police found abandoned Sunday afternoon in the wooded area near Exit 49 of I-75. Couch's car was located at approximately 7:55 p.m. Saturday night.
Couch faces charges of five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault. The charges were filed by Commonwealth's Attorney Jackie Steele, the felony prosecutor for Laurel County.
Steele told the Courier Journal he expects Couch to later face additional charges, potentially related to other vehicle owners who have suspected damage from the shooting, as well as Couch's continued evading of police.
Officials say at least 12 vehicles were hit during the shooting.
Couch, 32, is 5-foot-10 and weighs 154 pounds. He is considered to be armed and dangerous and should not be approached, officials say.