ANACONDA, Mont. (BN24) — A former U.S. Army soldier suspected of gunning down four people at a Montana bar remained at large as of early Sunday, with authorities warning he may be armed and hiding in rugged terrain after fleeing in a stolen vehicle.
Officials say 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown is believed to have fatally shot four patrons at The Owl Bar in Anaconda on Friday morning with a rifle believed to be his personal weapon. The victims, all residents of the small mountain town about 75 miles southeast of Missoula, were identified as Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen warned that Brown, a regular at the bar who lived next door, is “an unstable individual” who “murdered four people in cold blood for no reason whatsoever.” He urged residents to remain alert, noting that Brown could return to the area.
Authorities say Brown initially escaped in a vehicle that contained clothing and camping supplies, but believe he has since abandoned it and may have taken another car. Surveillance footage captured him shortly after the shooting appearing barefoot and wearing minimal clothing, but law enforcement now believes he may be clothed and better equipped.
The shootings have stunned the close-knit community of Anaconda, population 9,000, where neighbors say it’s common for everyone to know each other. Robert Wyatt, 70, recalled one of the victims, David Leach, as a quiet but helpful neighbor who often assisted others with chores. “He was a good neighbor,” Wyatt said.
Local events were canceled over the weekend and nearby forests were closed to the public as law enforcement combed the surrounding wilderness, where Brown is believed to have spent time hunting and camping in his youth.
David Jabarek, 70, said he narrowly avoided becoming a victim himself after deciding to run an errand instead of heading to the bar just minutes before the shooting. “If I’d have been in there when I was supposed to be, you wouldn’t be talking to me,” he said.
Brown served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2005, including a deployment to Iraq, and later joined the Montana National Guard until 2009. His niece, Clare Boyle, told the Associated Press that he has long struggled with mental illness. “This isn’t just a drunk/high man going wild,” she said. “It’s a sick man who doesn’t know who he is sometimes.”
Knudsen confirmed Brown was known to local authorities prior to the attack and may have been acquainted with some of the victims. Law enforcement is following all leads, including those involving wilderness areas, though some officers have been diverted due to staffing needs during Montana’s busy tourist season.
A $7,500 reward is being offered for information leading to Brown’s arrest. Authorities urge anyone with information or sightings to contact 911 immediately.
