CBS News
Kentucky highway shooting suspect vowed to “kill a lot of people,” warrant says
The man suspected of opening fire on a highway in Kentucky sent a text message vowing to “kill a lot of people” less than 30 minutes before he shot and wounded five people on Interstate 75, authorities said in an arrest warrant.
“I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least,” Joseph Couch, 32, wrote in the text message, according to the warrant affidavit filed in court. In a separate text message, Couch wrote, “I’ll kill myself afterwards,” the affidavit says.
The Lexington Herald-Leader identified the woman Couch sent the text messages to as his ex-wife. The affidavit itself doesn’t describe the relationship between Couch and the woman who received the texts.
The affidavit, written by Capt. Richard Dalrymple of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, said that before authorities received the first report of the shooting about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, a dispatcher in Laurel County got a call from a woman who told them Couch had sent her the text messages at 5:03 p.m.
In response to that call, police initiated a tracker on Couch’s cellphone but the location wasn’t received until 6:53 p.m., the affidavit states, almost 90 minutes after the highway shooting.
The affidavit, obtained by CBS News, charges Couch with five counts each of criminal attempt to commit murder and first-degree assault.
On Sunday, law enforcement officers searched an area near where Couch’s vehicle was found, with a view of I-75. There, they found a green Army-style duffel bag, ammunition and numerous spent shell casings, the affidavit says. A short distance away, they found a Colt AR-15 rifle with a site mounted to the weapon and several additional magazines. The duffel bag had “Couch” hand-written in black marker.
Searchers have been combing thousands of acres in the rugged, hilly area near London, a small city of about 8,000 people about 75 miles south of Lexington.
State police Master Trooper Scottie Pennington, a spokesman for the London post, said troopers are being brought in from across the state to aid in the search focused on a remote area about 8 miles north of London. He described the extensive search area as “walking in a jungle,” with machetes needed to cut through thickets.
Timothy D. Easley / AP
“We have cliff beds. We have sinkholes. We have caves,” Pennington said Monday. “We have culverts that go under the interstate. We have creeks and rivers and the dense brush.”
Authorities vowed to keep up their relentless pursuit in the densely wooded area as local residents worried about where the shooter might turn up next.
Laurel County Sheriff’s Office / Handout via Reuters
“We’re not going to quit until we do lay hands on him,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root said.
CBS Lexington, Kentucky affiliate WKYT-TV says a $15,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Couch’s arrest, with $5,000 from Kentucky State Police and $10,000 from a private donor.
Victim tells her story
Rebecca Puryear told the Lexington Herald-Leader she’s thankful to be alive after she was shot across her chest in her right arm. She was with her husband and 4-year-old son coming home after a meal at Olive Garden.
Another bullet burst into fragments upon hitting the door of her Toyota Camry, injuring her left arm, as well.
“I looked at my husband and said, ‘What was that?’ He said it was gunshots. I said, ‘Oh my God!’ ” Puryear, 28, told the newspaper.
She was “gushing blood,” but her husband urged her to keep driving. She pulled over a mile up the road and her husband told her to take off her shirt and press it to the wound while he called 911.
Puryear is out of the hospital but will have to have surgery at a later date. .
“This man was out to kill, and he almost did,” Puryear said, adding: “In a blink of an eye you could not be here. I don’t want nobody else’s family to go through this.”
Extra precautions as search continues
Meanwhile, area school districts were shut down Monday across a wide swath of southeastern Kentucky as the search for Couch stretched into a third day.
Donna Hess, who lives 10 miles from the shooting scene, agreed with the decision to close schools.
“I’d be afraid he’d try to hijack the bus and take the kids as hostages,” said Hess, who has a first grader and a preschooler. “I’m worried about everybody because they don’t know where he’s at. … We don’t know what he’s capable of right now.”
Rich Brimer / via REUTERS
Couch most recently lived in Woodbine, a small community about 20 miles south of the shooting scene. An employee of a gun store in London, Center Target Firearms, informed authorities that Couch purchased an AR-15 and 1,000 rounds of ammunition hours before the shooting, the affidavit said.
Joe Arnold, the gun store’s manager, declined to comment Monday. He said he didn’t want to interfere with the investigation.
“We’d love for him to be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Arnold told The Associated Press.
Kentucky’s gun laws in focus
Kentucky has few regulations on purchasing guns and carrying them in public. The state’s gun laws “are among the worst in the country” according to a report by Everytown For Gun Safety, a gun safety nonprofit group.
Kentucky legislators repealed a law in 2019 that required a permit for carrying a concealed weapon. The state also doesn’t require a background check at the point of purchase.
Authorities in Kentucky said Monday that Couch was in the Army Reserve and not the National Guard, as officials initially indicated. The U.S. Army said in a statement that Couch served from 2013 to 2019 as a combat engineer. He was a private when he left and had no deployments.
Pennington said Monday that military experience doesn’t make Couch a trained survivalist, and the plan is to wear Couch down.
“How long can you really survive?” Pennington said. “We hope he just walks out.”
Authorities said Couch fired 20 to 30 rounds, striking 12 vehicles on the interstate Saturday.
Christina DiNoto, who witnessed the shooting while driving, said Monday the search weighs heavily on her mind.
“To know that he’s still at large – that makes me nervous, honestly,” DiNoto said.
Bluesky, a fledgling social media platform, reported Thursday that 1 million users had signed up in a single day. Some frustrated X users appear to have flocked to the newer network in recent weeks.
What is BlueSky?
Bluesky, which began as an internal project by then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in 2019, was invitation-only until it opened to the public in February. Since 2021, it has been an independent company with Jay Graber as its CEO.
It currently has about 18 million users. Graber posted Friday that the platform is growing by 10,000 users every 10 to 15 minutes.
While Bluesky remains small compared to established online spaces, it has emerged as an alternative for those looking for a different mood and less influenced by X owner Elon Musk, a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump.
Why is Bluesky growing?
Two days before the sign-up surge, Trump announced that he would tap billionaires Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to be part of his second administration, co-leading the new Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s super PAC also spent around $200 million supporting Trump’s 2024 election campaign.
Musk bought Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it as X in July 2023. He has implemented changes to the company, cutting staff and removing protocols that created guardrails on the platform.
According to Similarweb, an online analytics tool, X experienced peak worldwide deactivations the day after Election Day, with 115,000 web visitors reportedly deleting their accounts. In December 2023, X experienced its second-highest deactivation numbers after Musk restored conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to the platform, with about 65,000 users deleting their accounts, per Similarweb.
A Brazilian judge temporarily banned X in the South American country in late August, which also caused a mass migration of users to other platforms, according to the Associated Press.
Bluesky reported that it gained half a million new users from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, just prior to the suspension.
It is difficult to know how many users X has since it is now a private company and has not shared recent usage data. However, analytics firm Exploding Topics estimates it had about 611 million active monthly users as of April. X CEO Linda Yaccarino posted Wednesday that “X usage is at an all-time high and continues to surge.”
That same day, Musk issued new terms and conditions that allow X to use accounts’ posts and images to train its artificial intelligence platform.
Who has left X?
U.S. brands that have stopped posting to X or shuttered their accounts entirely include Target, UnitedHealth Group, Playbill and media companies like NPR and The Guardian. Several other prominent accounts with big followers said they would be departing X.
New York University professor and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat told The Guardian this week that she is still on X, but is concerned about having a possible Trump administration member running the platform after January.
While Bluesky is not likely to surpass X anytime soon, its rise in popularity could point to a shift in social media culture in which users sign up for or leave platforms depending on the political environment.
Users might also be turning to Bluesky because it has a similar look and feel to X, or “old Twitter.” It operates both as a website and an app. Like X, Bluesky has a list feature that allows users to add a collection of accounts into one group. Then, users can make bulk decisions, like blocking, muting or following.
Another platform that has served as an alternative is Meta’s Threads, which began as a challenge to Musk’s X. In October, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that it has 275 million monthly users.
Both Bluesky and Threads do not currently show advertisements.
CBS News
Organic carrots recalled after E. coli outbreak. These are the brands and grocery stores impacted.
A massive recall of organic carrots and baby carrots sold at grocery stores across the country was issued by a California grower after a possible outbreak of E. coli that has already killed one person.
Grimmway Farms, which made and packaged the organic carrots, issued the recall on Saturday after nearly 40 cases were recorded in 18 states. At least 15 people were hospitalized and one person has died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Where were the carrots sold?
A number of stores that sold the carrots across the United States, including Puerto Rico, and Canada are impacted, including Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Food Lion, Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Canadian chains Loblaws and Compliments.
“State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Sunday. “Of the 27 people interviewed, 26 reported eating carrots. The FDA’s traceback investigation identified Grimmway Farms as the common supplier of organic whole and baby carrots in this outbreak.”
What carrots have been recalled?
According to the FDA, the recall did not pull any carrots off the shelves at stores as they should no longer be available for sale, however, they may still be in people’s homes and refrigerators.
Organic whole carrots, which do not have a best-if-used-by date printed on the bag but were available for purchase at retail stores from Aug. 14 through Oct. 23, 2024.
Organic baby carrots with best-if-used-by-dates ranging from Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, 2024.
What brands of carrots have been recalled?
These lists include the brands or store’s brands (and bag size) that sold the carrots.
Organic Whole Organic Carrots
Whole Foods 365 – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Grimmway Farms
Bunny Luv – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb, 25lb
Cal-Organic – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 6lb, 10lb, 25lb
Compliments – 2lb
Full Circle – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Good & Gather – 2lb
GreenWise – 1lb, 25lbs
Marketside – 2lb
Nature’s Promise – 1lb, 5lb
O-Organics – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb
Grimmway Farms
President’s Choice – 2lb
Simple Truth – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Trader Joe’s – 1lb
Wegmans – 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Wholesome Pantry -1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Organic Baby carrots
Whole Foods 365 – 12oz, 1lb, 2lb
Grimmway Farms
Bunny Luv – 1lb, 2lb, 3lb, 5lb
Cal-Organic – 12oz, 1lb, 2lb, 2pk/2lbs
Compliments – 1lb
Full Circle – 1lb
Good & Gather – 12oz, 1lb
Grimmway Farms
GreenWise – 1lb
Grimmway Farms – 25 lb
Marketside – 12oz, 1lb, 2lb
Nature’s Promise – 1lb
O-Organics – 12oz, 1lb, 2lb
President’s Choice – 1lb, 2lb
Raley’s – 1lb
Simple Truth – 1lb, 2lb
Sprouts – 1lb, 2lb
Trader Joe’s – 1lb
Wegmans – 12oz, 1lb, 2lb
Wholesome Pantry – 1lb, 2lb
What kind of E. coli might be associated with the outbreak?
According to the CDC, the carrots might be linked to an outbreak of E. coli O121:H19, which could cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Symptoms usually start three to four days after swallowing the bacteria and most people recover without treatment after five to seven days.
Some people may develop serious kidney problems and would need to be hospitalized, the CDC said.
Already 39 people have been infected across 18 states including Washington, Minnesota, New York, California, Oregon, South Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Orion, Virginia and Wyoming.
What should you do if you have the carrots?
The CDC and FDA say that any recalled carrots should be thrown away immediately or returned to the store for a refund. People should also clean and sanitize any surface they may have touched.
Washington — President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet and senior staff picks are facing an uncertain future as his selections received mixed reviews in recent days even from fellow Republicans — and a handful sent shockwaves through Washington.
Trump’s selection for attorney general in former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a GOP firebrand who was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations of sexual misconduct and obstruction, has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. And Trump’s pick for defense secretary in Pete Hegseth, an Army combat veteran and former Fox News anchor, has also sparked concerns, especially as an investigation into sexual assault allegations against him has been made public. Additionally, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, doesn’t have a background in intelligence and has drawn criticism for her views on Russia and other U.S. adversaries.
Appearing on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday, Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut expressed astonishment about those questioning whether experience is necessary when asked about Gabbard, saying “of course it’s necessary.”
“These people are manifestly unqualified, and you know, they’re not prepared to run the very complicated organizations they’ve been asked to run,” Himes said.
But Himes, the ranking Democrat on the the House Intelligence Committee, said that Gaetz’s qualifications should also examined as well as the unreleased House Ethics Committee report.
“How is it that this is what we’re focusing on?” Himes said. “Matt Gaetz is, by any standard, completely unqualified to be the Attorney General, and yet we’re sort of focused on this, you know, cherry on the cupcake of the Ethics report.”
Gaetz’ resignation from Congress after Trump’s announcement came days ahead of a planned meeting and vote by the House Ethics Committee on whether to release a report on its investigation into Gaetz. Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday that he would “strongly request” that committee withhold the potentially damaging report.
Rep. French Hill, an Arkansas Republican who also appeared on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, said Johnson makes “an important point,” warning that “we don’t want to set a precedent where we, under any circumstances, will release documents from that committee.” But he stressed that the decision is the committee’s alone, while noting that on Trump’s selections, the Senate will exercise its advise and consent role through the confirmation process.
“President Trump has the prerogative to nominate the people that he thinks can best lead the change that he believes the American people are seeking in each of the agencies of the federal government,” Hill said.
The Arkansas Republican outlined that when Trump came to office in 2017, there were members of his Cabinet who he had no personal relationship with or working background.
“He wants to correct that this time by finding people that he has a good working relationship with. He knows how they think, they know how he thinks, because he thinks it will lead to better decision making in his administration,” Hill said.
For his part, Himes offered some praise to some of Trump’s other picks.
“I actually had a really good day when Marco Rubio was nominated for Secretary of State, when John Ratcliffe was nominated for CIA and when Mike Waltz was nominated to be national security adviser,” Ratcliffe said. “Those are good nominations, not necessarily the nominations I would have made if I were president, but these are serious people with real experience.”
Still, he cautioned Republicans in the Senate as the confirmation process plays out, saying that he understands “what happens to Republicans who stand up to Donald Trump,” but “history is a harsh judge.”
“The Republican senator who votes to confirm Matt Gaetz or Robert Kennedy or Tulsi Gabbard will be remembered by history as somebody who completely gave up their responsibility to Donald Trump,” Himes said.
Sue Gordon, who served as principal deputy director of national intelligence under Trump and also appeared on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, stressed that vetting will be critical to the process moving forward, amid a New York Times report that Trump’s team may bypass the typical FBI procedure and instead opt to use a private firm to vet his nominees who would be granted security clearances.
“It seems expedient, but I think it will ultimately harm the institution,” Gordon said, noting that a private firm won’t have the same standards. “I know it’s inconvenient, but I think it’s a bad strategy and risky for America.”
Meanwhile, the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group that assists with presidential transitions, confirmed to CBS News that the Trump team hasn’t signed paperwork that allows for security clearances and background checks, among other things, to occur. Gordon said she can’t think of a “good reason” for the Trump team to forego the transition paperwork, saying that “one of the great falsehoods that’s been perpetrated on America is that our institutions are malfeasant.”
“You’re not protecting anybody by not signing those papers, and especially some of the nominees we have that don’t have the really deep experience base,” Gordon said. “To start your gig without any foundation at all, especially when the institutions are begging to give you that foundation, just seems wrong-headed.”
