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This image released by the Mount Vernon Fire Department shows traffic stopped during an active shooting on Interstate 75 north of London, Ky., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP)
Gun violence is common in the United States, a country where there are more firearms than people
Multiple people have been shot along a highway in the US state of Kentucky, police said Saturday (local time), as authorities in the southern state hunted for the shooter.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said Interstate 75 was closed in both directions due to the “active shooter situation” near the freeway, warning that “numerous persons have been shot.” “The Suspect has not been caught at this time we are urging people to stay inside!” Trooper Scottie Pennington of Kentucky State Police posted on Facebook. The rural county is some 145 kilometers south of the city of Lexington along I-75, a major north-south artery cutting across the eastern half of the United States.
Kentucky Guv ‘monitoring the situation’
A “heavy presence of police and fire personnel” was on the scene and “working diligently to address the situation,” the Mount Vernon Fire Department said in a statement. It advised motorists to avoid I-75 and US 25.
“I am receiving initial reports from the Kentucky State Police and our Office of Homeland Security — together we are actively monitoring the situation and offering support in any way possible,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a post on the social platform X. “Please pray for everyone involved.” “We will provide more details once they are available,” Beshear said.
(With agency inputs)
Read More: Multiple People Shot In ‘Active Shooting Situation’ Along US Highway In Kentucky – News18