A man who allegedly opened fire near Interstate 75 in Kentucky over the weekend was still at large Monday afternoon, having failed to evade federal, state and local authorities.

The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch, opened fire near Exit 49 around 6 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. The gunman reportedly fired 20 to 30 times, hitting 12 vehicles.

An affidavit from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office obtained by WYMT shows that Laurel County Dispatch received a call from a woman who claimed she had received text messages from Couch saying he was “going to kill a lot of people.”

According to the affidavit, Couch also wrote, “I’m going to kill myself after this.”

WISCONSIN COLLEGE GYMNAST KARA WELSH WAS IN FETAL POSITION WHEN BOYFRIEND ALLEGEDLY SHOT HER MULTIPLE TIMES: REPORT

I-75 in Kentucky, next to suspect Joseph Couch. (AP; FBI)

The Lexington Herald-Leader identified the woman who received Couch’s messages as his ex-wife.

State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington provided an update on the search Monday afternoon, calling the manhunt a “methodological effort akin to a game of hide and seek.”

“Our goal is to keep the pressure on and wear Mr. Couch down,” Pennington said. “Hopefully he has no water and nothing to eat.”

Pennington said Crouch has military experience, having served in the U.S. Army Reserve but was discharged.

According to the U.S. Army, Couch served in the Army Reserve as a 12B Army combat engineer from March 2013 to January 2019.

“He was a soldier at the end of his service. He had no deployments,” the U.S. military said.

Pennington compared the forests surrounding the area to a jungle, with cliffs, sinkholes, caves and culverts.

Joseph Couch is still at large, 48 hours after police say he opened fire near a Kentucky highway. (WDKY/London Police)

He urged the public to contact authorities if they encounter anything suspicious.

““If you see something strange in your neighborhood, when you come home and your doors don’t seem to be the way you left them, go back outside and call somebody,” Pennington said. “When you’re home, don’t be alone. Always have your cell phone with you. Make sure your phone is reachable.”

According to authorities, the search area is in the middle of a dense forest. (Mayor Randall Weddle)

Authorities have combed the rugged, hilly area near London, a small town of about 8,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Lexington.

On Sunday, authorities found a vehicle and an AR-15 rifle during their search for the suspect.

Trees stand in wooded areas along Interstate 75 near Livingston, Kentucky, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, as police search for a suspect in a shooting Saturday along the interstate. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

According to the affidavit, Couch is charged with five counts of attempted murder and first-degree assault.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Couch’s arrest.

Authorities are searching for Couch near Exit 49 of I-75. (Mayor Randall Weddle)

More than a dozen school districts closed their doors Monday across much of southeastern Kentucky as the grueling search for Couch continues for three days.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Couch last lived in Woodbine, a small community about 20 miles south of the shooting. Authorities said he bought the gun and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition in London early Saturday morning.

The search involves multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, London City Police and the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department.