(LEX 18) — After almost a week of 'road closed' signs on Exit 49 following the mass shooting on I-75, the exit is finally back open.
There are mixed opinions about this decision because the suspected shooter, Joseph Couch, still hasn't been found.
"When I was a deputy, I did a lot of chasing in the hills too,” Lloyd Powers said.
Powers used to work in law enforcement. He says reopening the ramps is the right call even though the search isn't over.
"I believe, as soon as this guy got done doing his shooting, he left them woods," Powers said.
Another former first responder who spoke with LEX 18 said it's always safety first for these communities. He preferred to stay anonymous but says his background and training make him confident in the decision.
"I’m pretty sure there is a concern in their mind, but I am pretty sure they processed that. I got the utmost respect for the law enforcement in this area,” said the man who was born and raised a few miles away from the incident Saturday evening. “I’m sure that if they opened it up, they done it for a reason."
But some people who live near Exit 49 are still concerned.
They were hesitant, but they told me they would not feel safe in that area until Couch was in handcuffs.
Whether these residents are for or against the reopening, there is one thing they can all agree on:
“Everybody is willing to step up and do what it takes to take care of this situation. And that makes me proud to be in Kentucky,” concluded the former first responder.
