A massive manhunt is underway in Anaconda, Montana, following a tragic shooting at The Owl Bar that left four people dead on Friday, August 1, 2025. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown, remains at large, prompting authorities to urge residents to stay vigilant and lock their doors.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time at The Owl Bar, a historic establishment in Anaconda’s Goosetown neighborhood, built in 1893 to serve the town’s copper workers. According to the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Brown walked into the bar and opened fire, killing four individuals. The victims have been identified, but their names are being withheld pending family notifications.
Authorities have recovered a 2007 white Ford F-150 pickup truck with Montana license plate DTY493, which Brown was last seen driving as he fled west toward Stumptown Road. Despite locating the vehicle, Brown was not found in or near it, and the search has shifted to the rugged, mountainous terrain west of Anaconda. Described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair, Brown is considered armed and dangerous, possibly carrying a .762-caliber assault rifle. Witnesses reported he was last seen wearing a tie-dyed shirt, blue jeans, and an orange bandana.
The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center has warned the public not to approach Brown and to contact 911 with any information about his whereabouts. A SWAT team searched Brown’s home, located next door to The Owl Bar, but found no sign of the suspect. David Gwerder, the bar’s owner, who was not present during the shooting, told the Associated Press that Brown was familiar with the bar’s patrons and had no known disputes with them. “I just think he snapped,” Gwerder said.
Brown, a former U.S. Army armor crewman, served 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 military background has added complexity to the ongoing investigation, which involves local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Montana Senator Steve Daines noted that police drones are aiding the “massive manhunt” in the challenging terrain.
Anaconda, a town of about 9,000 residents located 75 miles southeast of Missoula, is reeling from the tragedy. The town, once a copper smelting hub, has been placed on lockdown, with businesses like the Anaconda Leader and Firefly Café closing their doors. Kelly DeRieux, a barmaid at Jodi’s Cantina and Sports Bar, three blocks from the shooting, said many local businesses have shut down, and heavily armed police have advised residents to stay away from windows. “We have emergency precautions, if needed,” she added.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte expressed his condolences on social media, stating, “Please join Susan and me in praying for the victims, their loved ones, and the brave law enforcement officers responding to this tragedy.” The community remains on edge as the search continues, with helicopters, drones, and K9 units combing the area. Local resident Brandon Baragar described the scene, saying, “I’m constantly hearing sirens go off every 10 or 15 minutes. They’re looking, just trying to find a needle in a haystack.”
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and authorities have not confirmed additional injuries. As the investigation unfolds, Anaconda’s tight-knit community grapples with the shock of this rare act of violence, the deadliest in the region since a 2015 shooting in Deer Lodge County.
