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Kentucky interstate shooting adds to string of highway violence that has US drivers on edge

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Kentucky interstate shooting adds to string of highway violence that has US drivers on edge

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Two mass highway shootings in Seattle and Kentucky this month – the latter of which sparked a manhunt – highlight the uptick of such attacks and the dangers drivers face on the roads.

Joseph Couch, 32, allegedly wounded five people while opening fire on Interstate 75 in Kentucky on Sept. 7.

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On Sept. 2, 44-year-old California resident Eric Perkins allegedly opened fire on Seattle’s I-5, injuring six people across three counties and hitting at least 10 vehicles with bullets, Washington State Patrol Public Information Officer Christopher Loftis told Fox News Digital. 

KENTUCKY I-75 SHOOTING SUSPECT COULD STILL BE FOUND ALIVE AFTER DAYS IN THE WOODS, US MARSHAL SAYS

Authorities are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to fugitive Joseph Couch’s arrest. (U.S. Marshal Service)

Perkins was arrested and charged with five counts of first-degree assault with a firearm the next day. He admitted the shooting to investigators, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, and said that he had recently lost his housing and was in Tacoma General Hospital the day before he shot at unwitting drivers in an attempt to get help. 

Six hours before the shooting, Perkins told police he believed people were “coming after him.” He later told them that his friend gave him a gun to protect himself. 

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shooting suspect with hands up

Seattle I-5 shooting suspect Eric Perkins is seen with his hands up after he was apprehended by Washington State Patrol. (Fox 13)

The shootings unfolded after Fox News Digital reported earlier this year that highway shootings were on the rise in counties in Washington State, California, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Florida. 

Between 2014 and 2023, the number of people shot in road rage incidents nationwide has surged by more than 400%, from 92 to 481, according to data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.

KENTUCKY POLICE IDENTIFY SUBJECT OF MANHUNT AFTER ‘NUMEROUS’ PEOPLE SHOT ON HIGHWAY

traffic stopped on I-75

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. (Camden Mink/Mount Vernon Fire Department via AP)

Loftis told Fox News Digital that Washington’s King County has seen an uptick in highway shootings. Just this year, the county has seen 37 victims of such incidents and 59 statewide. Those numbers are on par with highway shootings in 2023, but in 2022, he said, the entire state had just 33 such victims, with 14 in King County. 

Statewide in 2024, there have been 817 reports of weapons on freeways or on the roadways and 631 reports of people hearing gunfire while driving. 

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Of those incidents, Loftis said, between a quarter to a third have been gang-related. Another large portion, he said, is perpetrated by aggressive drivers.

“That is a difficult thing to investigate,” Loftis said. “Traffic keeps moving – by the time our troopers get there, many minutes have gone by and the traffic has moved on.”

Gene Petrino, a retired SWAT commander with over three decades of law enforcement experience in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, explained the difficulty of investigating a “moving crime scene.”

KENTUCKY POLICE RESUME MANHUNT FOR GUNMAN IN I-75 SHOOTING

“Part of the problem from a law enforcement perspective is that you’re looking at different jurisdictions, because these freeways or highways are going through different towns, counties,” he said. “It’s a moving environment. You’re not going to have as many witnesses because they’re busy driving.”

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Oftentimes, both Petrino and Loftis said, drivers don’t report the shootings until after they’ve arrived at their destination.

“I’m sure it’s happened to you – you hear something while you’re driving, you see a little dent when you get home, and you assume that a rock hit your car. Sometimes, people don’t call in until they get home and see a bullet hole in their car. Because of that, you’re going to have a hard time with evidence,” Petrino said. 

Some states have managed to control the problem with increased enforcement. 

Illinois had a spike in expressway shootings in 2021. In response, police in the state stepped up their enforcement, saying that they had begun using automatic license plate readers and other measures to blunt the violence. 

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According to the state’s dashboard that tracks highway shootings, incidents decreased from 189 in 2022 to 129 in 2023. Year-to-date, there have been 69 incidents in the state.

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Utah

Utah high school coach accused of telling female athletes they would be to blame if sexually assaulted

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Utah high school coach accused of telling female athletes they would be to blame if sexually assaulted


A volleyball coach at Park City High School has been placed on leave as the school investigates an accusation that he made inappropriate comments to student athletes about sexual assault.

A parent of a student at the school said their child was with a group of female athletes and students during a discussion about accountability. During this discussion, the child told the parent, the coach said that “if you are sexually assaulted, it’s your fault.”

The Salt Lake Tribune is not naming the parent or student, as the student and others involved are minors. The Tribune has confirmed the student attends Park City High.

A Park City High School teacher, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, independently confirmed the coach’s comments.

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Emails obtained by The Tribune confirm Park City High School placed the coach on leave and is conducting an investigation. A Park City School District spokesperson confirmed Friday that those emails were sent to parents and guardians.

Several parents confirmed to The Tribune that they received the emails. Public radio station KPCW also confirmed that several parents received the emails.

Park City police are also involved but will not be “releasing any information as it involves juveniles,” a police spokesperson said. The Tribune has requested the initial contact report and is awaiting those records.

The coach did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week. Because no charges have been filed and the matter is under investigation, The Tribune is not naming the coach.

In response to The Tribune’s inquiry about the investigation and allegations, the district spokesperson said Friday, “We want to assure you that all processes are being followed and taken seriously. As a district, however, we do not comment on personnel matters.”

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Park City High School Principal Roger Arbabi and Athletic Director Jamie Sheetz sent a joint email to parents and students Monday, the district spokesperson confirmed.

“The investigation into [the coach’s] comments is ongoing, and his leave will continue at this time,” the email states, adding that a former coach “will be assuming the interim head coach position for the duration of the investigation and unfortunately we do not know how long this will be.”

Students were interviewed by school administrators, the parent who spoke to The Tribune said. The parent said officials did not notify them about the conversations.

“I’m pretty upset,” the parent said, “because I thought they should have called parents.”



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Washington

White House officials signal delay in U.S. Steel takeover decision

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White House officials signal delay in U.S. Steel takeover decision


White House officials have indicated that a decision to block the Nippon purchase of U.S. Steel is unlikely in the short term and may not come until after the 2024 presidential election, after vocal opposition to the idea of blocking the deal.



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Wyoming

How Valuable Is Your Hard Earned Money In Wyoming?

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How Valuable Is Your Hard Earned Money In Wyoming?


Data shows that 20 to 40% of marriages end because of money.

People who have financial issues are 20 times more likely to commit suicide.

You’ve heard the phrase, “The love of money is the root of all evil,” which seems accurate.

When you work hard for your money, you want to be able to buy the things you want and need. If you’ve ever wondered why people from California want to move to Wyoming, the answer aligns with all of these phrases and facts.

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Money.

Earlier this year, Go Banking Rates.Com released numbers on how far a $100 bill will go in each state, and it’s no surprise that in California, it’s not going as far as it is in Wyoming.

If you have a crisp new $100 bill and walk into a store in California, it’s only worth $87.50. If you take that same crisp new $100 bill to a store in Wyoming, it will be worth $108.10.

You’re wondering how that works, so here’s how Go Banking Rates.com figured it out.

GOBankingRates ranked the states where $100 is worth the most and least and provided supplemental factors, such as median household income as sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey, annual cost-of-living expenditures as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2022 Consumer Expenditure, and typical home value for a single family residence as sourced from Zillow.

 

How Valuable Is Your Hard Earned Money In Wyoming?

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How Valuable Is Your Hard Earned Money In Wyoming?

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To go further down the rabbit hole, Arkansas is where you will get the most out of your $100 bill. It is worth $113.40.

How Valuable Is Your Hard Earned Money In Wyoming?

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10 Outstanding Ways To Save Money On Gas In Wyoming

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Here are all the places CASPER VOTED for that they would like to see come to town.





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