Photo: Anaconda - Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center
Michael Paul Brown, a 45-year-old former U.S. Army veteran, was apprehended on Friday (August 8) after a week-long manhunt following a deadly shooting at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana. The shooting, which occurred on August 1, resulted in the deaths of four individuals: bartender Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, and patrons Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, David Allen Leach, 70, and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.
Brown, who lived next door to the bar, was captured near The Ranch Bar, approximately five miles from the crime scene. Authorities said that Brown was armed at the time of his arrest. Authorities believe that the large law enforcement presence in the area helped flush him out of hiding.
The suspect, who served in Iraq and the Montana National Guard, was known to have mental health issues.
The investigation is ongoing, and Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Morgan Smith emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the case as it moves forward.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and Senator Steve Daines praised the efforts of the law enforcement officials involved in the search.