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CrimeUnited States of America

Kentucky police search for highway shooter

September 8, 2024

A gunman has injured several people along the I-75 highway in Laurel County in the southeastern US state of Kentucky. Police continued to search for the suspect, who was considered to be "armed and dangerous."

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Traffic stopped during shooting on Interstate 75 in Kentucky, US
A shooter injured several people along a highway in the southeastern US state of KentuckyImage: Camden Mink/Mount Vernon Fire Department via AP/picture alliance

Several people were shot by a gunman along a highway in the southern US state of Kentucky, authorities said on Saturday.

There were multiple injuries but no confirmed deaths.

Police continued to search for the suspect, who was considered to be "armed and dangerous."

What do we know about the shooting?

The incident began shortly before 6 p.m. local time (2200 UTC) around 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) away from the town of London, Kentucky.

Officers responded to reports of gunshots directed at vehicles traveling on Interstate 75 in Laurel County. The highway is a major north-south artery that cuts across the eastern half of the US.

Local media reported that the shots came from a wooded area or an overpass.

The mayor of the town of London, Randall Weddle, said in a post on social media that seven people had been injured and that there were no known fatalities.

Police did not offer any further details on casualties.

US police vehicles at Interstate 75 highway, Kentucky, US
Police were still searching for the suspected shooterImage: Laurel County Sheriff's Office/REUTERS

Suspect still at large

The Laurel County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as a 32-year-old man and urged the public not to approach him.

"The suspect has not been caught at this time and we are urging people to stay inside," police officer Trooper Scottie Pennington said on social media.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that its agents were assisting state and local police.

The shooting on Saturday comes after two students and two teachers were shot dead in the southern state of Georgia. A 14-year-old boy was charged with murder and his father was charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder.

sdi/sms (AFP, Reuters, AP)