Additional Coverage:
Anaconda, MT – After a week-long manhunt, the suspect in the tragic shooting at the Old Owl Bar is in custody. Michael Paul Brown, a 45-year-old Army veteran, was apprehended Friday afternoon in the Anaconda search area.
The arrest brings a close to a tense seven days for the small Montana town, located approximately 130 miles east of Idaho. Brown is accused of killing four people at the bar on August 1st: bartender Nancy Kelley, 64, and patrons Daniel Baillie, 59, David Leach, 70, and Tony Palm, 74.
Law enforcement officials from 38 local, state, and federal agencies participated in the extensive search, which covered the rugged wilderness surrounding Anaconda. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen credited the collaborative effort and public support for ultimately leading to Brown’s capture. He noted that Brown was armed at the time of his arrest and appeared to have been “flushed out” of his hiding place by the ongoing search efforts.
Governor Greg Gianforte expressed his gratitude to the law enforcement personnel involved, acknowledging their “sacrifice and time away from family” during the manhunt. He also offered condolences to the families of the victims, who are still grieving their loss.
The shooting has deeply impacted the Anaconda community. Cassandra Dutra, a bartender at the Old Owl Bar who was not working the night of the incident, described the situation as “totally overwhelming” in an interview.
Brown was reportedly a regular at the bar and lived next door. His white Ford F-150 was found earlier in the week.
Brown, who served in the Iraq War and the Montana National Guard, is currently being held by Anaconda-Deer Lodge authorities. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.