Manhunt ongoing in the US after 5 people injured in Kentucky shooting

A manhunt is underway after five people were injured in a shooting in the U.S. state of Kentucky.

An active shooter situation occurred near Interstate 75 in a rural area of Laurel County, Kentucky, on Sep. 8, at around 7am Singapore time, leading to the closure of the road.

According to a Facebook post by Laurel County Sheriff's Office, numerous persons were shot.

It is unclear if there were one or more shooters involved.

CNN reported that five victims were injured in the shooting, and they are in stable condition.

The Laurel County Sheriff's Office identified a Person of Interest as Joseph A Couch, a 32-year-old white male.

The post warned the public that Couch is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.

State Trooper Scottie Pennington shared on Facebook that the suspect, "has not been caught at this time. We are urging people to stay inside."

The interstate was reopened at around 9am Singapore time, but the search for the suspect continues.

The mayor of London, a city in Kentucky nine miles from where the shooting occurred, said in a video posted on Facebook that the authorities were searching for the suspect or suspects in "rugged terrain and a lot of tree lines", which may hamper their efforts.

The mayor urged everyone in the city limits to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings.

"If you're home, keep your doors locked. I'm not asking everybody to panic. There is no immediate danger here in the city but again, while these guys or this person is on the loose, we are asking everybody to be safe."

The Kentucky shooting incident comes after a school shooting in the U.S. state of Georgia left four people dead and nine injured on Sep. 5, 2024.

Top photos via Google Maps & Laurel County Sheriff's Office/Facebook