Officers scour mountainous area of Montana for ex-soldier suspected of killing 4 in bar
Share and Follow


Deputies spent Saturday traversing a rugged mountainous area of Montana with helicopters overhead as a manhunt for a military veteran suspected of fatally shooting four people at a bar stretched into a second day with no capture.

Michael Paul Brown, 45, fled The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda in a white pickup before ditching it at some point, according to Lee Johnson, administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is overseeing the case. He urged residents late Friday to stay at home and remain on high alert.

Authorities released a photo of the suspect said to be taken as he fled after the shooting: Gaunt, barefoot and wearing nothing but black shorts, he is seeing walking down what appears to be a flight of outdoor concrete steps.

“While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,” Johnson said.

The search was still focused on an area off Stumptown Road west of Anaconda, both on the ground and by air, and included multiple local, state, and federal agencies.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge Police Chief Bill Sather said Saturday that businesses in the area could open, but he urged caution.

Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified.

“This is a small, tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,” Johnson said.

Anaconda, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Butte, is home to roughly 9,000 people. Hemmed in by mountains, it was founded by copper barons who profited from nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that is no longer operational looms over the valley.

Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar, according to owner David Gwerder, who was not there when the shooting happened Friday morning. Gwerder told The Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed, and he did not think anyone else was inside. He was not aware of any conflicts between Brown and the victims.

“He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,” Gwerder said. “He didn’t have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.”

Brown served in the Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, according to Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said, and left military service at the rank of sergeant.

Brown’s niece, Clare Boyle, told AP her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and she and other family members repeatedly sought help.

“This isn’t just a drunk/high man going wild,” she said in a Facebook message. “It’s a sick man who doesn’t know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn’t know where or when he is either.”

A lockdown of the Stumptown Road area was lifted on Saturday.

A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there.

Word of the shooting spread through the town after it took place, and business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers.

___

Associated Press writer Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
ICE arrests Moldovan illegal immigrant and convicted killer who tortured, threw victim out ninth-floor window

ICE Detains Moldovan Convicted Killer in U.S.: Shocking Details of Ninth-Floor Window Incident Unveiled

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently apprehended a Moldovan illegal…
AI-generated print snuck onto museum wall

AI Artwork Mysteriously Appears on Museum Wall

In an intriguing twist of events, the National Museum Cardiff in Wales…
Jimmy Kimmel breaks down in tears honoring late bandleader, friend

Jimmy Kimmel’s Emotional Tribute: Late Bandleader and Friend Remembered in Tearful Monologue

It was an evening filled with heartfelt emotions as Jimmy Kimmel paid…
Suspect accused of killing college pre-med student has a criminal history: court records

Court Records Reveal Criminal Past of Suspect in College Student’s Tragic Death

The man accused of the tragic hit-and-run incident that resulted in the…
Could you see an aurora tonight? NOAA issues Geomagnetic Storm Watch

Tonight’s Sky Spectacle: NOAA Alerts on Potential Aurora Borealis Display Amidst Geomagnetic Storm Watch

Several regions across the United States and Canada are poised to witness…
Russell Wilson demoted for Jameis Winston as Giants make QB switch with new coach

Giants’ New Coach Shakes Things Up: Jameis Winston Takes Over as Starting QB, Replacing Russell Wilson

The New York Giants are making significant changes to their quarterback roster.…
Trump 'obesity ban' preventing overweight foreigners from entering US

Trump Administration’s Controversial Policy Sparks Debate: Obesity Ban on Overweight Foreigners Entering US

The State Department under Donald Trump has introduced a new guideline suggesting…
Outrage over mass shooting suspect's 60K bail fueled by repeat offender's different treatment

Public Fury Erupts Over Disparity in Bail for Repeat Offenders After Mass Shooting Suspect Set at $60K

A suspect involved in a mass shooting in Alabama has been granted…