Police in Kentucky were combing through a daunting landscape near a national forest, on the hunt for a gunman, following a shocking incident where at least seven individuals suffered injuries from a shooting whilst travelling along a country portion of a motorway. This was confirmed by authorities on Saturday evening. The local Sheriff’s Department of Laurel County declared on Facebook that the horrifying event was an “active shooter situation” and a number of individuals had been shot close to the motorway.
The incident commenced just before 6pm on Saturday, taking place about 14.5 kilometres away from the town of London. Officers were dispatched following reports of shots fired at cars driving along Interstate 75 in Laurel County. The source of the shooting was reportedly either a forested region or a flyover, as stated by local news reports.
Mr. Randall Weddle, the Mayor of London which is a modest town with an estimated population of 8000 residing near the Daniel Boone National Forest (around 145 kilometres south of Lexington) posted on Facebook to confirm that seven individuals were harmed, with several having been shot. He confirmed there were no known fatalities. He appealed to all residents in the vicinity to ensure their doors were locked while the attacker remained at large.
A section of the motorway close to the Kentucky shootings was temporarily shut down but has since been re-opened even though the attacker has not yet been apprehended.
Approximately three hours post the shooting, the Sheriff’s Office of Laurel County identified a “person of interest”, warning that he was armed, potentially dangerous and urging the public to refrain from making contact with the 32 year-old male.
“The perpetrator remains at large presently and we are imploring residents to stay indoor”, urged officer Scottie Pennington of the state police force in Kentucky via a Facebook post.
Officers from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were brought in to assist the state police and local law enforcement, classifying it as a “critical incident” in a post on an unidentified platform.
This shocking event occurs merely days following a tragedy at Winder High School in Georgia where a schoolboy, his father, and two teachers lost their lives and nine more were injured. A 14 year-old pupil alongside his father who is suspected of providing his son with the firearm used in the incident, were charged related to the shootings which transpired as the academic year commenced. (Credit: Reuters)