Who killed bartender, 3 others in Montana mass shooting? What to know about the killings
Four days after authorities said a lone gunman walked into a Montana bar, brazenly opened fire and killed a bartender and three patrons, the suspected shooter, identified as a former U.S. Army solider, remained on the run.
The quadruple shooting, officials from multiple law enforcement jurisdictions reported, took place on Friday, Aug. 1 at The Owl Bar in the rural town of Anaconda in Deer Lodge County, just over a 100-mile drive west of Bozeman.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) reported the killings took place at about 10:30 a.m. local time and, during a weekend press conference in southwest Montana, State Attorney General Austin Knudsen identified the four victims as local residents aging in range from 59-75 including a 64-year-old woman who tended the bar.
Officials are pursuing murder suspect Michael Brown, 45, who they said lived next door to the bar, in connection to the victims' deaths.
The suspect in the case remained a fugitive from justice, an Anaconda Deer Lodge County Police Department spokesperson confirmed to Paste BN on Monday, Aug. 4.
Here's what to know about the fatal bar shooting as police continue the search for the suspect.
Who is the suspect in Montana bar mass shooting?
Law enforcement identified the suspect as a 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown.
On Aug. 3, the Granite County Sheriff’s Office, also investigating the case, reported Brown’s house next door to the bar had been cleared by SWAT but were warning people to avoid the area.
"This is an unstable individual who walked in and murdered four people in cold blood for no reason whatsoever. So there absolutely is concern for the public," Knudsen said.
Who are the Owl Bar shooting victims?
During the press conference, Knudsen identified the victims as:
- Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, bartender
- Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, patron
- David Allen Leach, 70, patron
- Tony Wayne Palm, 74, patron
Where is The Owl Bar?
The bar is located in the town of Anaconda, Montana, about 100 miles southeast of Missoula.
As of Aug. 4 the bar was temporarily closed, an online search showed.
Paste BN has reached out to the bar.
What happened in The Owl Bar shooting?
About 10:30 a.m. local time, the suspect walked into The Owl Bar and opened fire, killing four people, officials said during the news conference.
He then fled the scene in a white truck.
Where was the suspected gunman last seen?
According to DCI, video surveillance captured the suspect leaving the bar after the shooting.
Law enforcement later found the truck, said Lee Johnson, DCI administrator.
Residents in the area were notified and, as of Aug. 4, continued to be asked to stay inside their homes as officials said the suspect is considered armed and dangerous.
Montana bar shooting suspect description
Authorities described Brown as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair.
Brown, a U.S. Army veteran, allegedly fled the scene in his white Ford F-150 truck.
Brown served as an Army armor crewman from January 2001 to May 2005, which included a deployment to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, Army Maj. Dustin Ramos told Paste BN. He served in the Montana National Guard from April 2006 to March 2009.
Who is investigating the Montana bar shooting?
The case remained under investigation Aug. 4 with the Montana Highway Patrol, Deer Lodge County Attorney Morgan Smith's Office, and the FBI assisting.
"We are doing everything we can to bring this perpetrator to justice," Anaconda Deer Lodge Police Chief Bill Sather said during a news conference the day of the killings.
Reward offered in Montana bar mass shooting
The U.S Marshals Service is offering a reward of $7,500 for any information leading to Brown's arrest or capture.
Anyone who sees Brown is asked to call 911 or call 1-877-926-8332 to report a tip.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.