KENTUCKY, USA: Five people were shot on a highway in Kentucky, prompting an urgent police search for a suspect considered “armed and dangerous.” The incident occurred along Interstate 75 in Laurel County, near London, Kentucky. Mayor Randall Weddle reported that the shooting also led to a car accident, resulting in additional injuries. The authorities believe the shooting was not random and may have stemmed from an altercation between two cars.
The suspected shooter fired from a wooded area off the highway, causing “multiple severe injuries,” but no fatalities have been confirmed. Police are searching for Joseph Couch, 32, who is considered a person of interest in the case. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office warned the public on social media to avoid approaching Couch, describing him as “armed and dangerous.” Due to the active shooter situation, I-75 was temporarily closed in both directions.
This shooting follows another tragic incident where two students and two teachers were killed in a school shooting in Georgia. A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder, and his father faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder for allegedly purchasing the gun used in the attack.
Gun violence remains a major issue in the United States, where there are more firearms than people. Despite widespread support for stricter gun regulations, powerful lobbying groups, constitutional protections, and a deeply ingrained gun culture make it challenging to implement significant changes. In 2022, Congress passed a gun safety package that strengthened background checks and supported “Red Flag” laws to seize firearms from high-risk individuals. However, advocates argue that more measures are needed to address gun violence, which resulted in over 48,000 deaths that year. The debate over gun control continues to be a divisive issue in American politics, frequently influencing election campaigns and policy discussions.
