The fugitive wanted for the mass shooting on a Kentucky highway over the weekend had allegedly texted someone that his goal was to “kill a lot of people” before turning the gun on himself, according to a police affidavit.
Joseph Couch, 32, who remains on the run after shooting five drivers on Interstate 75, wanted as much bloodshed as possible on Saturday morning, with a woman contacting police half an hour before the shooting to warn them about the disturbing texts she received from him, NBC News reports.
“I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least,” Couch, a former National Guardsman, allegedly wrote.
“I’ll kill myself afterwards,” he added.
The woman, who was interviewed by investigators on Sunday, told officials she contacted police after receiving the messages to warn them about Couch.
Fortunately, Couch’s plot failed as his victims were only injured by the hail of bullets, with officials saying all the survivors are listed in stable condition.
The shooter also failed to take his own life in the assault, with Couch fleeing the area and kicking off a massive manhunt across the Kentucky woods where he vanished.
Authorities said Couch likely planned the shooting with that location in mind because it is remote and hard to navigate, allowing him to elude police.
Authorities are urging residents in the remote area to lock their doors, keep porch lights on and monitor their security cameras, with a local school forced to cancel class on Monday.
Police said at least 12 vehicles were struck in the shooting, with as many as 20 to 30 rounds fired.
Couch legally bought an AR-style rifle, a sight mount and about 1,000 rounds of ammo hours before the attack, officials added.
Police have yet to state a possible motive for the shooting, with officials putting out a $10,000 reward for information leading to Couch’s arrest.
Once captured, Couch is set to be charged with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault, according to his arrest warrant.
