PHILIPSBURG — The mass shooting that left four people dead in Anaconda on Friday sent shockwaves through not only the community of Anaconda but also the surrounding areas, including Phillipsburg.
“I was just sad that this has happened in our close community. So that's pretty much all I can say about it, is I'm sorry that it happened, and I hope they catch the guy,” said Philipsburg resident Brianna Schachtschneider.
Philipsburg community reacts to mass shooting:
“It's so peaceful of a town and state, you know, and I was from California, and I'm glad to be out of there, but sometimes we get reminders of what's really going on with some people, you know?” said Philipsburg resident Rich Craig.
The shooting came as a surprise to residents of Philipsburg, but they know that some things come with the area that they live in.
- UPDATE: VICTIMS IDENTIFIED
It's a sentiment that MTN heard from many residents.
“Well, once in a while, you know, I've had some weirdos come in here, and I've called the Sheriff's Office,” said Schachtschneider.
Another common theme residents mentioned was their faith in law enforcement being able to find the suspect.
“I have faith in our police force and the Granite County Sheriff's Department that they're handling it. I think that some of the community's a little shocked by what happened to the four people, but I think that as long as we have faith in it, they're going to be finding it and doing their jobs,” Philipsburg resident and bartender Jeremiah Smith told MTN.
While the suspect is still at large, community members are coming together to stay safe.
JESSICA NELSON REPORTS FROM ANACONDA:
“We're just being vigilant as a community. We're a small town and Anaconda is part of our community, also, so everyone's been networking and sharing information," said Smith.
“My brother's out on a motorcycle ride today over in Anaconda, and I said, 'You better call and find out if it's still going on. It was still going on.' And, you know, the only thing is I'm careful about locking the house, you know, real careful, and, you know, locking the car,” said Schachtschneider.
MTN spoke with several other Philipsburg residents who asked not to be on camera, and what we heard from them was that they were at a heightened awareness, as after an event like this, the impacts of it can be rippling.
