Suspect in Anaconda Mass Shooting Captured After Weeklong Manhunt

ANACONDA, Mont. — Michael Paul Brown, the suspect in the mass shooting at The Owl Bar, is now in custody. Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton confirmed Brown’s arrest on Friday, August 8, 2025, following a week-long manhunt.

Authorities allege that Brown opened fire on Friday, August 1, around 10:30 a.m., killing four people: bartender Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, and patrons Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, David Allen Leach, 70, and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. The shooting occurred during a busy moment in the bar.

Witnesses report Brown had no known disputes with the victims. The owner of The Owl Bar described Brown as someone who “knew everybody that was in that bar” and suggested he may have acted out of a moment of rage.

After the shooting, Brown fled the scene, driving a stolen white Ford F-150 pickup with Montana plates. Law enforcement found the vehicle abandoned on the mountain but had difficulty locating Brown himself.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen referred to Brown as “a dangerous individual who has committed an absolutely heinous crime against this community and these victims” during a press conference on Sunday, August 3.

Brown is a former Army sergeant who served in Iraq and has been described as struggling with mental health challenges, including schizophrenia and PTSD, according to his niece, Clare Boyle. She expressed grief over the victims and their families.

This case has drawn significant media attention, and local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.