'Active shooter situation' on highway spurs manhunt in Kentucky
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Gun violence is a frequent issue in the United States, where there are more firearms than people.
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This image released by the Mount Vernon Fire Department shows traffic stopped during an active shooting on Interstate 75 north of London, Saturday, September 7, 2024. (Mount Vernon Fire Department via AP)
Five people were shot along a highway in Kentucky, according to US media reports on Saturday, prompting a manhunt for a suspect described as "armed and dangerous."
Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, Kentucky, informed local media that in addition to the gunshot victims, there were others injured in a car accident caused by the shooting.
The shooting did not appear to be random, Weddle told the Louisville Courier-Journal, while a radio host indicated that it resulted from "an altercation between two cars." The suspected shooter reportedly fired from a wooded area off Interstate 75, Weddle said.
Local news station WYMT reported that there were "multiple severe injuries" but no confirmed fatalities. Authorities are searching for Joseph Couch, 32, who is considered a person of interest in the shooting that led to the temporary closure of I-75 in both directions due to the "active shooter situation."
The sheriff's office warned on Facebook, "Consider armed and dangerous. Do not attempt to approach." Kentucky State Police spokesperson Scottie Pennington urged residents to "stay inside" and later told the Louisville Courier-Journal, "We have no clue where (the suspect) is at."
The incident took place in rural Laurel County, south of Lexington along I-75, a major north-south route across the eastern United States.
This shooting follows a similar incident in Georgia, where a school shooting resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers. A 14-year-old boy was charged with murder, and his father, who reportedly bought the gun for him, faced charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder.
US gun violence: Debate intensifies as firearm deaths soar
Gun violence is a frequent issue in the United States, where there are more firearms than people. Despite public opinion polls showing a desire for stricter gun regulations, the strong influence of the gun rights lobby, constitutional protections, and a deeply ingrained gun culture create significant political obstacles to enacting tighter controls.
The 2022 gun safety legislation passed by Congress was the most significant in decades, enhancing background checks and supporting states with "Red Flag" laws that allow the confiscation of weapons from individuals deemed high-risk. Nevertheless, advocates argue that more comprehensive measures are necessary.
In that same year, over 48,000 people died from gun-related incidents, prompting the surgeon general to issue a landmark advisory declaring gun violence a "public health crisis."
Gun rights and gun violence are key issues in elections. Republican candidate Donald Trump, viewed as a strong supporter of gun rights, expressed on social media that "our hearts are with the victims" of the Georgia shooting.
On the other hand, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, attorney general of California, and US senator, urged Congress to "finally" pass an assault weapons ban. This proposed ban would mirror the one that President Joe Biden helped draft and pass into law in 1994, which expired after a decade without renewal by Congress.
