Latest news with #DavidGwerder
Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Manhunt intensifies as suspect's truck is found after he 'gunned down four in Montana bar'
Authorities have found the white Ford F-150 allegedly used by a former Army sergeant to flee after a deadly bar shooting in Montana - but the suspected killer is still at large. Michael Paul Brown, 45, is accused of gunning down four people - including a bartender - at The Owl Bar in Anaconda around 10 a.m. Friday before disappearing into the wilderness. Law enforcement officials say Brown, of Anaconda, is 'armed and dangerous' and was last spotted in the remote Stumptown area west of the city. After locating the abandoned pickup, officers launched a massive air and ground search across the mountainous terrain near Stumptown Road, which continued into Saturday. Authorities also released a chilling photo of Brown, believed to be moments after the shooting. The image showed him barefoot, shirtless, and wearing black shorts as he descended a set of concrete steps. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims, identified only as a bartender and three others, saying they will do so when 'the time is appropriate.' No motive for the attack has been disclosed. The owner of a Montana bar where a gunman killed four people before going on the run believes the suspect just 'snapped.' David Gwerder, owner of the Owl Bar, said alleged shooter Michael Paul Brown likely knew the victims of Friday's attack. SWAT teams stormed Brown's home on Friday but found no trace of the suspected killer, who remains at large. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar, I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Gwerder was not at the bar at the time of the shooting and believes the victims were the only ones inside. Though no further injuries have been reported, officials insist Brown is still considered armed and dangerous - and residents have been urged to stay indoors and remain on high alert. With no sign of the Army veteran in the truck or at his residence, authorities locked down the Stumptown Road area west of Anaconda, flooding it with air and ground teams and barring anyone from entering or leaving. The lockdown was lifted Saturday, but the search effort continues. The Department of Criminal Investigation has warned the public not to approach Brown under any circumstances. Instead, anyone who spots him is urged to call 911. He is described as 5-foot-10, about 170 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. A woman who appears to be related to Brown took to social media as the manhunt continued saying 'mental health is real'. Clare Boyle posted after the horrific events unfolded writing: 'There is one thing I'm certain of. Mental health is real. 'And it goes unmanaged and dismissed every single day. There are people who search for help and get turned away at every stop along the path. 'There are people who cry for help and show DEFINITE warning signs of crash out. This town? All this town does is talk and judge.' Daily Mail has approached her for further details. A friend to Brown wrote on Facebook: 'The shooter was a friend, combat veteran with PTSD and a delusional mentality of still being active spec ops! He would tell me these outrageous stories of his that were straight out of motion pictures! 'Mikey Brown needed help! Several locals contacted authorities and pleaded for them to do something to no avail! He was always polite to everyone he was in contact with! Gentle soul, I knew him for years, and watched his mental health decline! 'PTSD is a serious disease! I am so sorry for those who lost their lives and their loved ones who are dealing with the loss of their own! Mikey I'm sorry people didn't listen! God Bless Anaconda.' Army records show Brown served as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, deploying to Iraq for over a year. He later joined the Montana National Guard, serving until 2009. He left the military with the rank of sergeant.
Telegraph
02-08-2025
- Telegraph
Manhunt under way after gunman kills four in Montana bar
Police are scouring mountains for an armed military veteran after four people were killed in a shooting in a Montana bar. Michael Paul Brown, 45, fled The Owl Bar in the town of Anaconda in a white pickup truck but later ditched it, authorities say. The shooting happened at about 10:30 local time on Friday morning. Residents were told to stay at home and on high alert as the manhunt continued. Lee Johnson, of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, said: 'While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous.' Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified. 'This is a small tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,' Mr Johnson said. Anaconda, about 25 miles north-west of Butte, is hemmed in by mountains. The town of about 9,000 people, was founded by copper barons. Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar, said owner David Gwerder, who wasn't there during the shooting on Friday morning. Gwerder told the Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed and didn't think anyone else was inside. He also said he wasn't aware of any conflicts between Brown and any of the victims. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Mr Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running disputes with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Brown served in the US army as an armour crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, said Lt Col Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was then in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009. He left military service in the rank of sergeant. Brown's niece, Clare Boyle, told the AP on Friday that her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and that she and her other family members repeatedly sought help. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she wrote in a Facebook message. 'It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either.' Authorities locked down the west of Anaconda by ground and air, preventing anyone from leaving or entering. A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there. Following reports of the shooting on Friday, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. Barbie Nelson, the owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda, said she locked up her business after a friend alerted her to the shooting. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,' Ms Nelson said. 'For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled.'
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Owner of Montana bar where gunman killed four reveals 'motive' as frantic manhunt for suspect continues
The owner of a Montana bar where a gunman killed four people before going on the run believes the suspect just 'snapped'. David Gwerder, owner of the Owl Bar, said alleged shooter Michael Paul Brown likely knew the victims of Friday's attack. Brown, 45, is an army veteran who lived next to the establishment in Anaconda. He is accused of killing three patrons and a bartender. The town remains on high alert as the manhunt for Brown enters its second day. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar, I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Gwerder was not at the bar at the time of the shooting and believes the victims were the only ones inside. Brown fled the scene around 10:30am on Friday in a white truck which was later found abandoned, police said. He is still at large and believed to be armed and dangerous. Members of the public are being urged to avoid any contact with him if spotted. One person who spoke with MTN News said they had been at a nearby bar and saw the shooter walking around with a rifle. Brown served in the Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, according to Lieutenant Colonel Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. The suspect was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said. He left military service in the rank of sergeant. His home was cleared by a SWAT team and he was last seen in the Stump Town area, just west of Anaconda, authorities said. Police are focusing on the nearby mountains near Stumptown Road and residents were encouraged to stay indoors Friday evening. As reports of the shooting spread through town, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. At Caterpillars to Butterflies Childcare, a nursery a few blocks from the shooting scene, owner Sage Huot said she'd kept the children inside all day after someone called to let her know about the violence. 'We're constantly doing practice drills, fire drills and active shooter drills, so we locked down the facility, locked the doors, and we have a quiet spot where we play activities away from all of our windows and doors,' Huot said. The owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda said she locked up her business at about 11am Friday after getting alerted to the shooting by a friend. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,' café owner Barbie Nelson said. 'For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled.' A woman believed to be Brown's daughter took to social media as the manhunt continued saying: 'Mental health is real.' Clare Boyle posted after the horrific events unfolded writing: 'There is one thing I'm certain of. Mental health is real. 'And it goes unmanaged and dismissed every single day. There are people who search for help and get turned away at every stop along the path. 'There are people who cry for help and show DEFINITE warning signs of crash out. This town? All this town does is talk and judge.' A friend of Brown wrote on Facebook: 'The shooter was a friend, combat veteran with PTSD and a delusional mentality of still being active spec ops! He would tell me these outrageous stories of his that were straight out of motion pictures! Brown is accused of killing three patrons and a bartender , who Gwerder - who was not at the bar at the time of the shooting - believes were the only people in place at the time 'Mikey Brown needed help! Several locals contacted authorities and pleaded for them to do something to no avail! He was always polite to everyone he was in contact with! Gentle soul, I knew him for years, and watched his mental health decline! 'PTSD is a serious disease! I am so sorry for those who lost their lives and their loved ones who are dealing with the loss of their own! Mikey I'm sorry people didn't listen! God Bless Anaconda.'
CTV News
02-08-2025
- CTV News
Officials scour mountainous area of Montana for ex-U.S. soldier suspected of killing 4 in bar shooting
Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP) Authorities are scouring a mountainous area of western Montana for a military veteran who they say opened fire at a bar, killing four people. Michael Paul Brown, 45, fled The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda in a white pickup truck but ditched it at some point, said Lee Johnson, administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is overseeing the case. He urged residents late Friday to stay at home and on high alert. 'While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,' Johnson said. Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified. 'This is a small tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,' Johnson said. Anaconda, about 25 miles (40 kilometres) northwest of Butte, is hemmed in by mountains. The town of about 9,000 people, was founded by copper barons who profited off nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that's no longer operational looms over the valley. Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar, said owner David Gwerder, who wasn't there during the shooting Friday morning. Gwerder told The Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed and didn't think anyone else was inside. He also said he wasn't aware of any conflicts between Brown and any of the victims. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Brown served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, said Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said. He left military service in the rank of sergeant. Brown's niece, Clare Boyle, told the AP on Friday that her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and that she and her other family members repeatedly sought help. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she wrote in a Facebook message. 'It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either.' With no sign of Brown in the white pickup or his home, authorities converged on the Stumptown Road area west of Anaconda by ground and air, locking it down so no one was allowed in or out. A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there. As reports of the shooting spread through town earlier Friday, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. The owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda said she locked up her business after a friend alerted her to the shooting. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,' Barbie Nelson said. 'For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled.' Matthew Brown, Colleen Slevin And Lisa Baumann, The Associated Press
Arab News
02-08-2025
- Arab News
Police hunt for former US soldier suspected in Montana bar shooting that killed four
A shooting at a Montana bar Friday left four people dead, and law enforcement officers were searching for a suspect described by his niece as a former US soldier who struggled to get help for mental health problems. Officers searched a mountainous area west of the small town of Anaconda for the 45-year-old suspect, Michael Paul Brown. He lived next door to the site of the 10:30 a.m. shooting at the Owl Bar, according to public records and bar owner David Gwerder. The bartender and three patrons were killed, said Gwerder, who was not there at the time. He believed the four victims were the only ones present during the shooting, and was not aware of any prior conflicts between them and Brown. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Brown's home was cleared by a SWAT team and he was last seen in the Stump Town area, just west of Anaconda, authorities said. More than a dozen officers from local and state police converged on that area, locking it down so no one was allowed in or out. A helicopter also hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there. Brown was believed to be armed, the Montana Highway Patrol said in a statement. Brown served in the US Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, according to Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said. He left military service in the rank of sergeant. His niece, Clare Boyle, said on Friday that her uncle has been mentally sick for years and that she and other family members have tried repeatedly to seek help. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she wrote in a Facebook message. 'It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either.' As reports of the shooting spread through town, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. Anaconda is about 120 kilometers southeast of Missoula in a valley hemmed in by mountains. A town of about 9,000 people, it was founded by copper barons who profited off nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that's no longer operational looms over the valley. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting. The owner of the Firefly Cafe in Anaconda said she locked up her business at about 11 a.m. Friday after getting alerted to the shooting by a friend. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,' Cafe owner Barbie Nelson said. 'For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled.'
