Kentucky highway shooting suspect believed to have been found dead

Police say they believe they have found the body of a suspected gunman who went on a highway shooting spree that wounded five people in Kentucky almost two weeks ago.

The body was found during the manhunt in Laurel County, along with accessories that have led police to conclude it is that of suspect Joseph Couch, authorities said in a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Officials have been searching for Mr Couch since 7 September, when the 32-year-old is alleged to have shot at drivers on Interstate 75 before disappearing into the remote area.

Police say they are still working to formally identify the remains.

Officials said the body was found just after 15:30 local time (20:30 BST) when two state troopers and two civilians ran into each other while searching for the suspect.

Both the civilians and the officials were drawn to the area by vultures that were circulating.

It is unclear how long the body was in the wooded area and how the person died, officials said.

They plan to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death, they said.

An unspecified weapon was also found at the site.

Local community members and authorities had been searching some 28,000 acres (43 sq miles) of the remote and rugged area near where the incident happened.

“People have been in fear,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root said on Wednesday.

“That’s not the normal here in Laurel County, so now that this has been discovered, I hope that our county can get back to what’s normal.”

The area is about nine miles (14km) from the city of London in southeastern Kentucky.

The two civilians who helped find the suspected remains of Mr Couch are livestreaming couple Fred and Sheila McCoy.

The pair could receive a total of $25,000 (£18,900) in rewards for helping officials in their investigation.

Mr Couch allegedly struck a dozen vehicles travelling in both directions along the highway during the shooting spree.

While all five victims survived the attack, some suffered serious injuries, including one person who was shot in the face.

Text messages from Mr Couch sent shortly before the shooting indicated he planned to harm people, officials said last week.

“I’m going to kill a lot of people,” he texted, according to an arrest affidavit from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. “Well (I’m going to) try at least.”

Officials say Mr Couch’s family was cooperative throughout the search.

Schools in the area were closed in the early days of the manhunt.