LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) – UPDATE (9:00 p.m.) – Officials with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on the shooting on Interstate 75.

Officials assume that none of the five seriously injured people will die. A total of 12 vehicles were hit by 20 to 30 shots.

Officers have called off the search for the night as the area is not safe to search after dark. They will cordon off the area throughout the night and patrol the perimeter.

Joseph Couch has military experience and is a former member of the National Guard.

According to officials, the AR-15 found at the scene was purchased the Saturday before the shooting.

Couch’s family was questioned and his home was searched. There is currently no indication of a motive.

Officials said nothing in his criminal history indicated such a thing could happen. A charge of making terroristic threats against Couch was dropped.

At this time, authorities cannot rule out that Couch committed suicide.

UPDATE (7:00 p.m.) – Several school districts have announced that there will be no classes on Monday.

Here is a list of schools we know have been closed so far:

• Independent Schools in Barbourville
• Clay County Public Schools
• Independent Schools in Corbin
• Independent schools in East Bernstadt
• Jackson County Public Schools
• Knox County Public Schools
• Public Schools in Laurel County
• Schools in Leslie County
• Independent Schools in Pineville
• Red Bird Christian School
• Schools in Rockcastle County
• Whitley County Public Schools
• Independent Schools in Williamsburg

Somerset Community College officials announced that the Laurel campuses will be closed Monday and all in-person classes will be canceled. Officials have asked employees to work from home if possible.

Officials with KCEOC Community Action Partnership Child Development Head Start and Early Head Start announced that classrooms in Clay, Jackson, Knox and Laurel counties will be closed Monday.

UPDATE (5:40 p.m.) The Laurel County school system has issued an update saying schools will be closed Monday.

UPDATE (5:00 p.m.) The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office issued another update around 4:59 p.m. Sunday.

Officials said they have not found anything significant since the last update.

Gilbert Acciardo of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said they plan to end the search by nightfall tonight.

Acciardo also said the area would be cordoned off to ensure no one escapes.

London Mayor Randall Weddle also gave a speech at the conference.

Weddle mentioned that the case is being handled by professionals and that we have to trust them.

“Stay home and let the emergency responders do their job. Don’t take matters into your own hands. We have trained professionals from the sheriff’s office, state police and the FBI,” Weddle said.

The next update will be at 7 p.m.

UPDATE (3:00 p.m.) The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office provided an update to the media at 2:58 p.m. Sunday.

According to recent information, police continue to believe that Joseph Couch is still in the forest.

“Yes, we currently believe he is still in the area,” said Gilbert Acciardo of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.

Police say they face challenges due to the remoteness of the area.

The forest road from exit 49 is about 15 to 18 kilometers long.

Officers also confirmed that the suspect was driving a silver Honda CRV.

Yesterday, WYMT was notified of multiple serious injuries. Acciardo gave an update saying one victim was shot in the face, one in the arm and another in the chest.

Acciardo described the investigation as a “big marathon task” and said they hope to catch Couch before it gets dark.

UPDATE (1:21 p.m.) The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office provided an update to the media around 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

Gilbert Acciardo of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said they found an AR-15 in a wooded area off I-75.

A vehicle was found off a forest road near exit 49, but not close enough to shoot from the location.

“It (AR15) is in a wooded area next to the highway. In a place where he could have fired from that wooded area onto the highway,” said Acciardo.

The vehicle is described as a silver Honda, either a CRX or CRV model. Police say they found the car through “good police work.”

“There was a gun case in the vehicle. The gun case was still there last night when we found the vehicle,” Acciardo said.

Joseph Couch is still listed as a person of interest.

A gun case was found on a slope.

Officials aren’t sure why he left the gun behind.

Authorities have received reports that Couch may be elsewhere, but they are continuing to search the forest.

There is currently no information about the motive for the shooting.

UPDATE (12:46 p.m.) The Kentucky Department of Transportation reports that exit 49 on I-75 north/south remains closed.

US 25 is closed from the KY 3094 intersection (mile 17.3) to the Laurel County line (mile 23.9).

Please avoid the area while the search continues.

UPDATE (12:11 p.m.) In a press conference on Sunday morning, Gilbert Acciardo of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office provided the latest information on the search for Joseph A. Couch.

The search is currently still ongoing.

Search teams are currently working in the forest with support from federal, state and local authorities.

The London Laurel Rescue Squad has brought a drone to assist in the ongoing search.

Acciardo said there was no estimate of the search area and no helicopter had been deployed.

The Kentucky State Police is bringing canine units to assist in the search.

As of this morning, all five victims are in stable condition after nine cars were shot at on Saturday evening.

We will continue to keep you updated as soon as we have information.

ORIGINAL STORY: Officials with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office continue the search for Joseph A. Couch, 32, of Woodbine, KY.

He is a person of interest in connection with a shooting that occurred Saturday on I-75 at Exit 49 and KY-909 in Laurel County.

Couch is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is asked to call the London-Laurel County Emergency Operations Center at 911 or 606-878-7000.

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