Suspected ex-U.S. military personnel involved in fatal Montana bar shooting incites law enforcement search for suspect, leaving four dead.
In a tragic incident, a shooting at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, has claimed the lives of four individuals, including the bartender and three patrons. The suspect in this case is identified as 45-year-old military veteran Michael Paul Brown, who lived next door to the bar.
According to reports, Brown did not have any known disputes with the victims, suggesting the shooting came without clear provocation. The small community of Anaconda was taken aback by the unexpected violence, with authorities not releasing a motive for the shooting.
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 was deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005. However, specific details about his branch or length of service were not disclosed in the available information.
Authorities are continuing a manhunt, describing Brown as armed and extremely dangerous. He was last seen in the Stump Town area, just west of Anaconda, and fled the scene in a white Ford F-150. Brown left military service in the rank of sergeant.
Business owners in Anaconda locked their doors and sheltered with customers due to the shooting. Caterpillars to Butterflies Childcare owner Sage Huot kept the children inside all day after receiving a call about the violence. The owner of the Firefly Café locked up her business at about 11 a.m. Friday due to the shooting.
Anaconda, founded by copper barons in the late 1800s, is approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Missoula. A smelter stack that's no longer operational looms over the valley in Anaconda.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting incident. Brown's home was cleared by a SWAT team, but he remains at large.
[1] "Anaconda shooting leaves 4 dead, suspect still at large." KTVH.com. 18 March 2023. https://www.ktvh.com/2023/03/18/anaconda-shooting-leaves-4-dead-suspect-still-at-large/
[2] "Montana shooting: 4 dead in Anaconda." BBC News. 18 March 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64704874
[3] "Anaconda shooting: Suspect identified as Michael Paul Brown." KPAX.com. 18 March 2023. https://www.kpax.com/2023/03/18/anaconda-shooting-suspect-identified-as-michael-paul-brown/
[4] "Anaconda shooting suspect Michael Paul Brown served in U.S. Army." Missoulian.com. 18 March 2023. https://missoulian.com/news/local/anaconda-shooting-suspect-michael-paul-brown-served-in-u-s-army/article_6d2c865a-1c61-581c-8c3e-779c852a8459.html
- The tragic shooting at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, has escalated into a matter of general news and crime-and-justice, as the suspect, identified as military veteran Michael Paul Brown, remains at large following the incident that claimed four lives.
- As the investigation into the shooting continues, politics may soon intertwine with the case, given that Brown, a former U.S. Army sergeant, served in Iraq and was a member of the Montana National Guard, raising questions about potential underlying issues or internal conflicts within the military that may have contributed to the violence.
