OAN Staff Blake Wolf
12:36 PM – Sunday, August 3, 2025
The manhunt for the suspect accused of killing four people at a Montana bar on Friday morning has intensified, with the search stretching into its third day as the suspect remains at large.
Authorities are continuing the rigorous search for 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown of Anaconda, the suspect who allegedly murdered a female bartender and three male patrons.
Brown, a former U.S. soldier, allegedly carried out the shooting with a rifle believed to be his personal weapon, according to Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
The shooting occurred at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, and law enforcement has yet to identify a motive.
“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 stated.
Law enforcement officials have since released surveillance video footage captured shortly after the shootings in which Brown appeared to be walking barefoot, wearing just his boxers.
Brown has since stolen a vehicle that contained camping gear, shoes, and clothing, according to law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest announced on Saturday that over 16 square miles of the park will be closed through August 16th to “ensure public health and safety during the ongoing law enforcement investigation and search efforts to locate the suspect for the Anaconda murders.”
The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center added that Brown is believed to be armed and dangerous.
“It’s a heavy and sad and intense time,” stated Anaconda resident Hope Hollingsworth. “This is hurting everyone. It’s just a beautiful and just a kind community that this is going to impact us for a long time.”
David Gwerder, the owner of the bar where the shooting occurred, revealed that Brown knew everyone at the venue during the time of the shooting.
“He didn’t have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped,” Gwerder stated.
Additionally, Clare Boyle, Brown’s niece, added that her uncle had a history of mental health issues.
“This isn’t just a drunk/high man going wild,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “It’s a sick man who doesn’t know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn’t know where or when he is either.”
Local bar owner Shane Charles stated that he had known Brown since childhood, as they grew up together in Anaconda, Montana.
“Mike was a great guy when he was on his meds. He did have some mental health problems,” Charles told NBC News, adding that he is known to have struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Brown previously served in the U.S. Army from 2001 until 2005. He was deployed in Iraq from 2004 to 2005, according to U.S. Army spokesperson Steve Warren. Warren added that Brown also served in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009.
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