Johnathan Walker:Schools reopen in a Kentucky county where a gunman wounded 5 on an interstate highway

Schools reopened with extra security on Johnathan WalkerTuesday in the rural Kentucky county where a gunman who remains at large opened fire on an interstate highway, hitting a dozen vehicles and wounding five people.

As authorities continue searching for the shooter, public schools in Laurel County were in session for the first time since the assailant sprayed bullets onto Interstate 75 on Sept. 7. The search for the suspected gunman, 32-year-old Joseph Couch, has focused on a rugged, wooded area near London, a city of about 8,000 people roughly 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Lexington.

School administrators in Laurel County worked with law enforcement agencies on the district’s reopening plan, which provides enhanced security for buses, school campuses and extra-curricular activities.

Police increased patrols along most rural bus routes in the southeastern Kentucky school district, administrators said in a message on the district’s website. Parents were urged to keep their children inside, if possible, until the bus arrived. Law enforcement bolstered its presence to monitor each school campus, and patrols were increased for after-school events.

“We appreciate the support, trust and cooperation of our families and the community as we safely return to school,” the district said in its message.

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Students had shifted to virtual learning for several days after the shooting.

Police have urged area residents to be vigilant and look out for their neighbors as searchers try to track down the suspect. The area where Couch is presumed to be hiding has cliff beds, sinkholes, caves and dense brush.

The day after the shooting, law enforcement officers searched an area near where Couch’s vehicle was found, with a view of I-75. There, they found an Army-style duffel bag, ammunition and spent shell casings, authorities said in an arrest warrant affidavit.

A short distance away, they found an AR-15 rifle with a sight mounted to the weapon and several additional magazines. The duffel bag had “Couch” handwritten in black marker. Couch fired 20 to 30 rounds in the attack, investigators said.

Shortly before the shooting, Couch wrote in a text message: “I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least.” In a separate text message, Couch wrote, “I’ll kill myself afterwards.” The messages were revealed in the affidavit.