Washington, Sep 8 : Multiple people were shot along a highway near the southeastern Kentucky city of London in what was described as an "active shooter situation", authorities said. A search is underway for the gunman, media reports said.

The incident took place opn Saturday evening, News 9 reported.

"The below individual, Joseph A Couch, is a Person of Interest in the shooting that occurred at the Exit 49/KY-909 area. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts or location of this individual, please contact the London-Laurel County 911 Centre by calling 911 or 606-878-7000. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPROACH. Joseph A Couch is a 32-year-old white male approximately 5'10 weighing approximately 154lbs," the police said.

The Laurel County Sheriff's Office reported that "numerous people were shot" and Interstate 75 was closed about nine miles north of London, News 9 reported.

The Sheriff's office said it was searching for a person of interest in the shooting described as 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch. He was described as a White man, about 5-foot-10 and weighing 154 pounds. A photo of Couch was also released.

Trooper Scottie Pennington, a Kentucky State Police spokesperson, urged residents in the area to stay inside.

Louisville ATF agents wrote on social media they are responding and assisting state and local police with a "critical incident" near Interstate 75.

No further details were immediately provided. The number of victims and their conditions was still unclear.

"Kentucky, we are aware of a shooting on I-75 in Laurel County," Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear wrote in a social media post.

"Law enforcement has shut the interstate down in both directions at exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more details once they are available."

Kentucky state Trooper Scottie Pennington wrote on Facebook, "The suspect has not been caught at this time and we are urging people to stay inside."

Agents, from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been called in to assist the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement, the agency posted on X, calling it a "critical incident".

London is a small city of about 8,000 residents near the Daniel Boone National Forest, about 90 miles south of Lexington.

This shooting comes just days after a mass shooting at a Winder, Georgia high school, that saw two teachers and two students killed and nine others wounded.

/IANS