LONDON, Ky. — Jittery residents living near where a gunman opened fire on a Kentucky highway are taking precautions they never thought would be needed in their rural region, as searchers combed the woods Tuesday hoping to find the suspect.

Brandi Campbell said her family has gone to bed early and kept the lights off in the evenings since five people were wounded in the attack Saturday on Interstate 75 near London, a city of about 8,000 people roughly 75 miles south of Lexington.

“We go home and lights go off, and we go upstairs and our doors stay locked,” she said.

Several area school districts remained closed Tuesday while a few others shifted to remote learning as the search for Joseph Couch, 32, stretched into a fourth day.

Searchers have been combing through an expansive area of rugged and hilly terrain near where the shooting occurred north of London. There is nothing to suggest he slipped away, said Master Trooper Scottie Pennington, a spokesman for the state police’s London post.

Questions arose whether there is anything to indicate Couch is dead or alive.

“Some people say ‘What if he’s not alive anymore?’” Pennington told reporters. “Well, we’re going to stay in the woods until we find him. That’s our job. If he’s dead or alive, it’s our job to try to find him.”

If Couch has died, “nature takes care of itself” and buzzards could gather overhead, which could be a sign for searchers, Pennington said.

“This is not a small area; this is not like going across the road and looking into the woods and finding somebody,” Pennington said. “This is a national forest. This is thousands and thousands of acres where Mr. Couch could’ve went. And we have no evidence, at this time, that Mr. Couch has left there.” 

The reward for information about Couch has jumped to $35,000. An anonymous donor offered $10,000 and earlier Tuesday, Judy Nicholson, executive director of the United Way of Laurel County, announced the organization was donating $10,000. Reward money for information on Couch started Monday with $15,000.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele issued an arrest warrant for Couch Monday, charging him with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of assault.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, Couch shot 12 vehicles and wounded five people near exit 49 on Interstate 75, about nine miles away from London, Ky. He fired 20 to 30 rounds in Saturday’s attack, striking 12 vehicles on the interstate, investigators said.

Pennington has said troopers had been brought in from across the state to aid in the search. He described the extensive search area as “walking in a jungle,” with machetes needed to cut through thickets.

Authorities vowed to keep up their pursuit in the densely wooded area as locals worried about where the shooter might turn up next.

Donna Hess, who lives 10 miles from the shooting scene, said she hasn’t let her children go outside to play since the shooting.

“I’m just afraid to even go to the door if somebody knocks,” she said.

Pennington said authorities are “working their guts out” to find Couch and end such fear.

“It’s hard when people are so in fear right now that there’s probably somebody out there,” he said.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.