Crime
Four Victims Released from Hospital Following Kentucky I-75 Shooting
The manhunt for Joseph Couch continues.
Four of the five victims injured in the recent shooting on I-75 have been released from the hospital. Rebecca Puryear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, and Janet Booth have all been discharged.
The fifth victim, Erick Tavin, is expected to survive and remains hospitalized.
The grueling manhunt for Joseph Couch has stretched into its sixth day.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear visited Laurel County on Thursday as law enforcement intensifies their search for the I-75 interstate shooter, Joseph Couch.
The manhunt for the 32-year-old suspect has entered its sixth day. Couch is accused of firing at least 20-30 rounds at passing vehicles on Sunday, injuring five people.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Couch sent a text message threatening to “kill a lot of people” approximately 30 minutes before the shooting. Another message indicated he planned to take his own life afterward. The affidavit did not reveal the identity of the recipient.
Thankfully, all five victims are expected to survive. Four have already been released from the hospital, while one remains hospitalized but in stable condition.
“We’re incredibly grateful that everyone will recover,” Governor Beshear stated during his visit, expressing empathy for those affected by the violence. “[Mass shootings are] something no one wants to go through.”
Newly released 911 calls depict the chaotic scene on the interstate. Callers reported multiple gunshot victims with injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to the windshield to hits in the face, chest, hip, and elbow.
The search for Couch is concentrated in a rugged, hilly area near the crime scene. Authorities recovered his SUV with a rifle case near the interstate and later located a semi-automatic weapon believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. A phone believed to be Couch’s was also found, but the battery had been removed.
Prior to the incident, Couch resided in Woodbine, a small community about 20 miles south of the shooting.
“There’s a sense of fear in the community right now,” acknowledged Michael Stansburgy, special agent in charge of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This is a rare and unsettling event.”
The shooting also impacted nearby businesses. WarZone Paintball, located close to the scene, was forced to lockdown a group of customers who were outdoors during the attack.
“Everyone was terrified,” recounted Andrea Chavez, manager of WarZone Paintball. “People were reaching out to loved ones, just trying to let them know they were safe.”
A witness to the shooting, Christina DiNoto, shared her ongoing emotional distress after the traumatic experience.
The search for Joseph Couch remains ongoing, and law enforcement is utilizing all available resources to apprehend him.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.