Hunt enters day 5 for Army soldier accused in Montana bar killings
Law enforcement said quadruple murder suspect Michael Paul Brown, 45, walked into The Owl Bar in the small city of Anaconda on Aug. 1 and unleashed a barrage of bullets on the victims, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said.
The bar in Deer Lodge County is just over a 100-mile drive west of Bozeman, about 100 miles southeast of Missoula.
Director of External Affairs Emilee Cantrell for Knudsen's office said Brown, considered armed and dangerous by police, remained at large across multiple jurisdictions, including the FBI on his trail.
Cantrell told USA TODAY that Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte was slated to hold an updated press conference sometime later on Tuesday.
About 10:30 a.m. local time, the suspect walked into the bar and opened fire on the victims, officials said during a news conference on Aug. 3. Video footage then captured him fleeing the scene barefoot and shirtless in a white Ford F-150.
"We have very good reason to believe that he is clothed now and possibly carrying camping gear," Knudsen said. "He is probably able to get around undetected.... By all indications, this is an unstable individual."
He added that officials haven't ruled out that Brown may return to the town where he lives.
Who is Michael Brown? What to know about the mass killing that left 4 dead.
Who are The Owl Bar shooting victims?
Knudsen identified the victims as:
According to the Granite County Sheriff's Office, which is also investigating the case, Brown's home is located next door to the bar. On Aug. 1, officials said SWAT cleared Brown's residence, but warned 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.
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 USA TODAY. He served in the Montana National Guard from April 2006 to March 2009.
Shark attack on pregnant woman: Former NBA player's wife bitten by shark
As of Wednesday, Aug. 5, the bar, which could not be reached by USA TODAY on Tuesday, Aug. 4, appears to be temporarily closed, per an online search.
He fell 25 feet over a waterfall: His screams alerted rescuers.
Reward offered in Montana bar mass shooting
Overnight, the U.S. Marshals Service increased its $7,500 reward by $2,500 for any information leading to Brown's arrest or capture.
Anyone who sees Brown is asked to call 911 or 1-877-926-8332 to report a tip.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
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