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Japan Today
03-08-2025
- Japan Today
Former US soldier suspected of killing 4 in Montana remains at large
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen speaks to the media Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025 in front of the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse in Anaconda, Mont., about the ongoing search for shooting suspect Michael Brown. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP) By SAFIYAH RIDDLE The former U.S. soldier suspected of killing four people at a Montana bar was still at large early Sunday and may be armed after escaping in a stolen vehicle containing clothes and camping gear, officials said. Authorities believe 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown killed four people on Friday morning at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Missoula in a valley hemmed in by mountains. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said at a press conference Sunday that Brown committed the shooting with a rifle that law enforcement believes was his personal weapon. The victims ranged in age from 59 to 74 and were a female bartender and three male patrons. Knudsen warned residents in the town of just over 9,000 people that Brown, who lived next door to the bar where he was a regular, could come back to 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. Numerous public events were canceled over the weekend as the search entered its third day, according to local Facebook pages. Investigators are considering all possible options for Brown's whereabouts, the attorney general said. That includes searching the woods where Brown hunted and camped while he was a kid. But Knudsen noted that, during peak tourist season in western Montana, some law enforcement officials would have to return to their local jurisdictions for their regular responsibilities. 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 Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said, and left military service at the rank of sergeant. Brown's niece, Clare Boyle, told the AP her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and she and other family members repeatedly sought help. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she said 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.' Knudsen said on Sunday that Brown was 'known' to local law enforcement before the shooting. It was widely believed that he knew at least some of the victims, given how close he lived to the bar. Law enforcement released a photograph of Brown from surveillance footage taken shortly after the fatal shootings. He appeared to be barefoot and in minimal clothing. But law enforcement now believes Brown ditched the vehicle he escaped in and stole a different one that had camping gear, shoes and clothes in it — leaving open the possibility that Brown is now clothed. The last time that law enforcement saw Brown was on Friday afternoon, but there was 'some confusion' because there were multiple white vehicles involved, Knudsen said. There is a $7,500 reward for any information that leads to Brown's capture. 'This is still Montana. Montanans know how to take care of themselves. But please, if you have any sightings, call 911,' Knudsen said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Economic Times
02-08-2025
- Economic Times
Anaconda Bar Shooting: Investigators find suspect's truck in manhunt after 4 killed; details inside
AP Police and other emergency personnel are seen after a reported shooting in Anaconda, Mont., Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP) In a major update on the Owl Bar shooting in Anaconda, investigators have found the pickup truck used by the man who allegedly shot and killed four people at a Montana bar on Friday, August 1, 2025. However, officials say the suspect, who is considered armed and dangerous, is still at large. Giving an update on the Montana shooting incident, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator Lee Johnson said at a news conference late Friday that a white Ford F-150 that Michael Paul Brown drove was found, but Brown 'was not located in or around the vehicle.' 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 be 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 kilometers) 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 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 who was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running disputes 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 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.
Toronto Sun
02-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Officials scour mountainous area of Montana for ex-U.S. soldier suspected of killing 4 in bar shooting
Published Aug 02, 2025 • 2 minute read Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. Photo by 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. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 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. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Law enforcement personnel respond to a reported shooting in Anaconda, Mont., Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. Photo by Joseph Scheller / The Montana Standard via AP Brown served in the U.S. 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 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 Cafe 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.' Toronto Blue Jays Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Canada Columnists
Toronto Sun
01-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Manhunt launched after 4 killed in shooting at Montana bar
Published Aug 01, 2025 • 1 minute read Police and other emergency personnel are seen after a reported shooting in Anaconda, Mont., Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. Photo by Joseph Scheller / The Montana Standard via AP ANACONDA, Mont. — Four people were killed in a shooting at a Montana bar Friday, authorities said as they launched a manhunt for the suspect. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The suspect was last seen in the Stump Town area, which is just west of Anaconda, according to a Facebook post by the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center. He was believed to still be armed, the Montana Highway Patrol said in a statement. The shooting happened around 10:30 a.m. on Friday at The Owl Bar, according to the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is leading the investigation. The agency confirmed four people were pronounced dead at the scene and that it was an active investigation. Authorities have yet to release details about what led to the shooting. Law enforcement personnel respond to a reported shooting in Anaconda, Mont., Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. Photo by Joseph Scheller / The Montana Standard via AP More than a dozen officers from local and state police converged on Stump Town where they appeared to be searching for the suspect in the woods. His home in Anaconda had already been cleared by a SWAT team, according to the Granite County Sheriff's office. Anaconda is about 75 miles (120 kilometres) southeast of Missoula. 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. Two hours later, she was still waiting for an all clear before reopening. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us. For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled,' cafe owner Barbie Nelson said. 'It's a small town, so we all probably know someone who was there' at the shooting. she added. Canada Toronto & GTA Celebrity Columnists Toronto Blue Jays
