Officials Scour Montana Mountains for Ex-Soldier in Bar Massacre
A massive manhunt is underway in western Montana after a former U.S. Army soldier allegedly opened fire in a local bar, killing four people. Authorities say the suspect, 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown, fled the scene in a white pickup truck, which he later abandoned, prompting an intense search across the mountainous terrain surrounding the small town of Anaconda.
The deadly shooting occurred early Friday morning at The Owl Bar, a neighborhood establishment in the heart of Anaconda, a town of about 9,000 residents located 25 miles northwest of Butte. As of late Friday, law enforcement agencies, supported by aerial units, had locked down parts of Stumptown Road, west of town, urging residents to remain indoors and on high alert.
“He is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,” said Lee Johnson, administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
A Tight-Knit Community Shaken
The four victims—reportedly the bartender and three patrons—were all known to the suspect, according to David Gwerder, owner of The Owl Bar. Gwerder said Brown lived next door to the bar and was familiar with everyone inside that morning.
“He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,” Gwerder told the Associated Press. “He didn’t have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.”
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, pending notification of family members.
The town, founded in the late 1800s during Montana’s copper boom, is now mourning amid a chilling lockdown. Many businesses closed their doors as news of the shooting spread.
“We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,” said Barbie Nelson, owner of the Firefly Café. “For our town to be locked down, everybody’s pretty rattled.”
Military Service and Mental Health Struggles
Michael Brown served as an armor crewman in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2005 and was deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, according to Lt. Col. Ruth Castro. After active duty, he continued serving in the Montana National Guard until 2009, separating at the rank of sergeant.
Family members say Brown has long struggled with mental illness.
“This isn’t just a drunk/high man going wild,” said Clare Boyle, Brown’s niece, in a Facebook message to the AP. “It’s a sick man who doesn’t know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn’t know where or when he is either.”
Despite repeated efforts by the family to get him help, Boyle said his condition remained untreated or unresolved for years.
Tactical Search Underway
With no sign of Brown at his home or in the abandoned truck, law enforcement mobilized air and ground teams to comb the wooded hills west of Anaconda, a rugged and remote area that poses challenges for search teams.
“A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees,” said Randy Clark, a retired police officer living near the search zone.
The Montana Department of Justice has taken over the investigation, and state and local police are working together to close off possible escape routes.
Officials have not disclosed a motive, but are treating the shooting as a deliberate and targeted act. Given Brown’s familiarity with the terrain and possible survival skills from military training, authorities are urging locals to stay vigilant and avoid contact.
“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,” said Johnson.
Ongoing Investigation
As the manhunt continues, questions linger over how a man known to be struggling with mental illness was able to carry out such a deadly act. The presence of firearms in a community familiar with gun culture only compounds the debate over mental health support for veterans and public safety.
The search for Michael Paul Brown remains active, and updates will follow as more information is made available. For now, Anaconda stands stunned, waiting for justice and closure after one of the most violent events in its recent history.
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