A shooting at a bar in Montana on Friday resulted in the deaths of four people, and authorities launched a manhunt for the suspect, identified as a 45-year-old former U.S. Army soldier, Michael Paul Brown. According to his niece, Brown had long struggled with serious mental health issues and had difficulty accessing treatment.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda. Public records and bar owner David Gwerder confirmed that Brown lived next door to the bar. Gwerder said the victims—one bartender and three patrons—were likely the only people inside at the time. He wasn’t aware of any previous disputes between Brown and the victims.
“He knew everyone in there. I’m certain of it,” said Gwerder. “There was no ongoing conflict. I think he just lost control.”
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A SWAT team cleared Brown’s residence, and authorities reported his last known location was the Stump Town area, just west of Anaconda. The area was sealed off by local and state law enforcement, with more than a dozen officers on the ground and a helicopter assisting from above, said retired officer Randy Clark, a local resident.
Brown is believed to be armed, according to a statement from the Montana Highway Patrol.
Military records show that Brown served as an armor crewman in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2005, including a deployment to Iraq from early 2004 to March 2005. He later joined the Montana National Guard from 2006 until March 2009, leaving the service with the rank of sergeant, said Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro.
His niece, Clare Boyle, told the Associated Press that Brown had been mentally unwell for many years, and the family had tried multiple times to get him help. “This isn’t a case of a man getting drunk or high and going off,” she said in a Facebook message. “This is someone who’s seriously ill—he often doesn’t know who or where he is.”
News of the shooting spread quickly through Anaconda, leading local businesses to lock their doors and shelter with customers inside.
Located about 75 miles southeast of Missoula, Anaconda is a mountain valley town with a population of around 9,000. It was founded in the late 19th century by copper magnates and is known for its towering, now-defunct smelter stack. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the ongoing investigation.
Barbie Nelson, owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda, said she closed her business around 11 a.m. after a friend informed her of the shooting.
“We’re used to guns in Montana,” she said. “But for our whole town to go on lockdown—it’s shaken everyone.”