[kellyhound]

A suspect is on the run after four people were killed in a shooting at a bar in the US state of Montana, authorities say.

The shooting happened at The Owl Bar in the city of Anaconda at around 10:30 local time, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation confirmed to the BBC's US partner CBS.

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said it was "responding to a shooting where multiple parties have been shot at a business in Anaconda".

Anaconda is a former copper smelting hub, with a population of almost 10,000 people in southwestern Montana, 109 miles (175km) west of Bozeman.

The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center named the suspect as Michael Paul Brown in a social media post, adding he is "believed to be armed and dangerous". The suspect, identified as 45-year-old military veteran Michael Paul Brown, lived next door.

"If seen do not approach," the department said. "Contact 911 for any way to contact Michael Paul Brown."

Officials are calling on Anaconda residents to stay home and lock their doors.

The Granite County Sheriff's Office, which is nearby to Anaconda, posted on social media that the gunman "is said to be wearing a tye dyed shirt, blue jeans and a orange bandana".

The sheriff's office added that the gunman's home in Anaconda had been searched, and "cleared by SWAT" teams.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said he was monitoring the response to the incident.

"Please join Susan and me in praying for the victims, their loved ones, and the brave law enforcement officers responding to this tragedy," the governor said on social media referring to his wife, Susan Gianforte.

The FBI was also at the scene and is helping in the investigation.

Montana Senator Steve Daines told local media that the "massive manhunt" is being aided by police drones.

The Owl Bar was built in 1893 to serve Anaconda's copper workers, according to a 1987 article in the Montana Standard newspaper. It's located in a neighbourhood of Anaconda called Goosetown.

[IvorySmith]

Sucks that he did this.
I hold Bush and Cheney responsible for this mass shooting.

[Mr.NoCredit]

At least he won’t be killing or terrorizing anyone, anymore, ever again.

[kellyhound]

Michael Paul Brown, also known as "Mikey," lived next door to The Owl Bar, making him a familiar figure in the small Anaconda community of about 9,000 people. He served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, including a deployment to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, and later in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009, leaving the service as a sergeant. His niece, Clare Boyle, and a close friend have publicly stated that Brown struggled with severe mental health issues, including untreated PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Boyle noted that he sometimes didn’t know “who he is” or “where or when he is,” and family members repeatedly sought help for him without success. A friend described him as a combat veteran whose mental health deteriorated post-service, suggesting he believed he was still in the Army.

Brown knew all four victims—a bartender and three patrons—and had no known disputes with them. Gwerder speculated that Brown “just snapped,” a sentiment echoed by Brown’s niece, who emphasized his mental illness as a factor, describing the act as not merely a random outburst but the result of a “sick man” with long-standing issues. No evidence of prior conflicts or specific triggers has been confirmed, and the investigation is ongoing.

[IvorySmith]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

Michael Paul Brown, also known as "Mikey," lived next door to The Owl Bar, making him a familiar figure in the small Anaconda community of about 9,000 people. He served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, including a deployment to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, and later in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009, leaving the service as a sergeant. His niece, Clare Boyle, and a close friend have publicly stated that Brown struggled with severe mental health issues, including untreated PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Boyle noted that he sometimes didn’t know “who he is” or “where or when he is,” and family members repeatedly sought help for him without success. A friend described him as a combat veteran whose mental health deteriorated post-service, suggesting he believed he was still in the Army.

Brown knew all four victims—a bartender and three patrons—and had no known disputes with them. Gwerder speculated that Brown “just snapped,” a sentiment echoed by Brown’s niece, who emphasized his mental illness as a factor, describing the act as not merely a random outburst but the result of a “sick man” with long-standing issues. No evidence of prior conflicts or specific triggers has been confirmed, and the investigation is ongoing.

VA needs way more funding for mental health. Though, I cynically think that they're ok with veterans snapping like this as a cheap form of population control.

[Muertaluna]

Originally Posted by IvorySmith ↗

VA needs way more funding for mental health. Though, I cynically think that they're ok with veterans snapping like this as a cheap form of population control.

They 100% absolutely are. Discharged soldiers are citizens and they can't have well trained soldiers on the other side.
Very sad this man sacrificed himself for the military only to be lost in the shuffle and now 5 people are gone.

[LeadHead]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

UPDATE: Brown, an Army veteran, has been found dead after he was last seen fleeing the scene in a stolen 2007 white Ford F-150 pickup with Montana plates DTY493. The vehicle was spotted heading west of Anaconda on Stumptown Road.

Saw something on my news feed an hour ago that he is still on the run.

[houseoftechno]

My searches are returning that he is still at large.

[kellyhound]

Originally Posted by houseoftechno ↗

My searches are returning that he is still at large.

Yeah, that's weird as some reports mentioned he was found dead.

[houseoftechno]

The shooter Mikey Brown is still at large with 38 agencies participating in them manhunt.
Pic1-3 - Owl Bar, site of shooting. Shooter fleeing Owl Bar. The four victims.