Law enforcement officers intensify search in the rugged terrain of Montana for a former U.S. military personnel, believed to be responsible for a deadly bar shooting that resulted in four fatalities.
In the small town of Anaconda, Montana, a sense of unease pervades the community following a tragic incident at The Owl Bar on August 1, 2025. The bar, owned by David Gwerder, became the scene of a mass shooting that left four locals dead, aged between 59 and 74.
The suspect, Michael Paul Brown, is a 45-year-old former U.S. soldier and Montana National Guard veteran. According to authorities, Brown served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, and was a member of the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009. He reportedly deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005.
During the shooting, business owners in Anaconda, including David Gwerder and the owner of the Firefly Café, locked their doors and sheltered inside with their customers. The town, founded by copper barons in the late 1800s and hemmed in by mountains, was plunged into a state of alarm.
Brown is believed to have used a rifle, which is thought to be his personal weapon, during the shooting. He fled the scene in a white pickup truck but later abandoned it. Brown is considered armed and extremely dangerous, and authorities have urged residents to stay at home and remain on high alert.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the case, and a manhunt is underway for Brown. The search is focused on the woods and rural areas west of Anaconda, especially near the Stumptown area, where Brown was last seen. Reports suggest that ground teams and aerial surveillance are being used in the search, with attempts to corner him in a meadow.
As the manhunt continues, the authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, as they are still in the process of notifying their families. Brown's niece, Clare Boyle, has stated that her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years.
Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives near the search area, reported seeing a helicopter hovering over a nearby mountainside during the search.
As of August 4, 2025, Brown remains at large. The community of Anaconda hopes for a swift resolution to this tragic event and the apprehension of the suspect.
- In light of the ongoing manhunt for Michael Paul Brown, the general-news media and crime-and-justice sections of local and national politics are abuzz with updates and discussions about the search.
- As the community of Anaconda awaits the resolution of the mass shooting incident at The Owl Bar, politics surrounding gun control laws in Montana have resurfaced in the wake of this tragedy, with many calling for stricter regulations on personal firearms such as the one allegedly used by the suspect.
