Authorities in Montana are intensifying their manhunt for Michael Paul Brown, 45, the prime suspect in a bar shooting that left four individuals dead. The rampage occurred at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, a small town known for its tight-knit community, early on a Friday morning, causing widespread shock and prompting a massive law enforcement response.
Intensified Manhunt for Suspected Montana Bar Shooter as Victims Identified
Intensified Manhunt for Suspected Montana Bar Shooter as Victims Identified
Fugitive Michael Brown is the focus of an expanded search following a deadly shooting in Anaconda, Montana that claimed four lives.
Police have identified the victims as Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, and three patrons: Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, David Allen Leach, 70, and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. As the search enters its third day, authorities are also offering a reward of $7,500 for any information regarding Brown. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen described the suspect as "unstable" and a "dangerous individual" who committed an "absolute heinous crime" against the local community.
The incident reportedly took place around 10:30 AM, with Brown, an army veteran, fleeing into the foothills after the shooting, prompting law enforcement to widen their search area, which now includes surrounding national forest land.
Around 250 law enforcement personnel, including federal, state, and local officers, are engaged in the search, utilizing both foot patrols and helicopters. Given that Brown was known to frequent the bar and lived next door, officials suspect he may have been familiar with his victims, intensifying the community's fear and grief.
Witness accounts indicate that Lake's death has deeply shaken the local populace, who had always considered Anaconda a safe place, where even locking cars was deemed unnecessary. Investigators are not excluding the possibility that Brown could be deceased; however, their current working assumption remains that he is alive, armed, and dangerous.
After the shooting, authorities discovered a white Ford-150 believed to be Brown's getaway vehicle, but so far, no sighting of the suspect has been confirmed. In an updated image released over the weekend, Brown was seen disheveled and dressed minimally in black shorts, which experts believe could indicate he is attempting to evade capture in more sophisticated clothing.
Family members of the suspect have come forward, revealing his longstanding struggles with mental health, with a niece describing him as someone who often struggles with his identity and situational awareness. The atmosphere in Anaconda remains tense, with many businesses halting operations and public events being canceled due to the ongoing manhunt.
