OVERVIEW
- WHAT: A man shot a bartender and three customers; all four died
- WHERE: The Owl Bar in Anaconda
- WHEN: At about 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 1, 2025
- SUSPECT: 45-year-old Michael Brown of Anaconda
- VICTIMS: Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; Tony Wayne Palm, 74
- MOTIVE: Unknown
- STATUS: Manhunt for Brown continues as of Tuesday morning
ANACONDA — State, local and federal officials provided an update Tuesday morning on the ongoing search for Michael Brown. Governor Greg Gianforte has allocated additional resources to the search, and we learned more about the manhunt for Brown.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said the last time Brown was seen was the day the shooting happened, but there have been more recent signs of him being in the area they’re searching.
“Without stating too much, the last concrete time we can say he was seen was Friday, “ noted Knudsen. “Now there is certainly evidence in our search area that he’s present and that we’re hunting in the right haystack.”
Knudsen declined to say if they believed Brown still had the weapon allegedly used in the shooting at The Owl Bar, but they are treating the situation as if he is armed.
“We have to assume that he is armed and extremely dangerous, “ said Knudsen. “This is clearly an unstable individual. He had access to firearms and numerous firearms in his home.”
WATCH THE ENTIRE NEWS CONFERENCE:
Residents MTN has spoken with have expressed a perceived lack of communication about updates on the manhunt.
Morgan Smith, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney, directly addressed the residents of Anaconda, saying that the county has head their frustrations and they are doing everything in their power to bring this matter to a close.
“I understand the pit in your stomach every time you’ve heard sirens in our community the last five days. I experience the same,” said Smith. “Any call that comes in of a potential sighting of Michael Brown, or a suspicious person in an unexpected place, or a concern that you can't reach a loved one, and you have a concern that they have been harmed, every single one of those calls has been responded to. And every time those calls come in, they're treated as though they are going to be the call that results in the apprehension of Michael Brown.”
On Tuesday morning, Gianforte signed an executive order approving the allocation of additional funding to search efforts and covering overtime costs for the officers working the case.
Anaconda-Deer-Lodge Police Chief Bill Sather says his officers have been putting in 18 to 19-hour days since the shooting on Friday.
“Since the tragic event, our officers have been unrelenting in their pursuit, working around the clock to bring this suspect, Michael Brown to justice for his heinous acts,” said Gianforte.
The search continues on Tuesday to the west of Anaconda in the surrounding mountains, which are densely forested.
A command center has been set up on Stumptown Road. Since the shooting, more than 30 local, state, and federal agencies have helped in the search for Brown.
Montana National Guard helicopters have logged more 19 flight hours to assist. Infrared cameras and K-9 dogs are being used as well.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines of Montana addressed the situation on Monday on FOX News, thanking law enforcement for their tireless efforts to locate Brown.
Daines said: “We're hoping that we will bring him and apprehend him, bring him to justice soon. But he's hiding just west of Anaconda. And we pray for the safety of those brave men and women who are operating a 24/7 operation. They're using infrared cameras. They've got dogs. They've had a few hits with the dogs. I'm hopeful that very shortly our law enforcement is going to get this guy and apprehend him and bring him out.”
On Tuesday, the reward offered by the U.S. Marshals for information leading to capture of Brown was increased to $10,000.
If you have any information, you can call the tipline at 1-877-wanted2 or 1-877-926-8332.
More than 100 people from numerous agencies have participated in the manhunt for Brown over the last few days.
Brown’s family told MTN he was an Army veteran who suffered from significant mental health challenges, including schizophrenia and PTSD.
His family told MTN they had sought help for Brown through both the Montana VA and the Montana State Hospital, but were not able to get assistance.
According to Lt. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson, Brown served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and was deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005.
Brown was in the National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said. He left military service with the rank of sergeant.
