Officers hunt ex-soldier in Montana bar killings case

Deputies spent Saturday traversing a rugged mountainous area of Montana with helicopters overhead as a manhunt for a military veteran suspected of fatally shooting four people at a bar stretched into a second day with no captureMichael Paul Brown 45 fled The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda in a white pickup before ditching it at some point according to Lee Johnson administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation which is overseeing the case He urged residents late Friday to stay at home and remain on high alertAuthorities released a photo of the suspect said to be taken as he fled after the shooting Gaunt barefoot and wearing nothing but black shorts he is seen walking down what appears to be a flight of outdoor concrete stepsWhile law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals he is believed to be armed and he is extremely dangerous Johnson said The search was still focused on an area off Stumptown Road west of Anaconda both on the ground and by air and included multiple local state and federal agenciesAnacondaDeer Lodge Police Chief Bill Sather said Saturday that businesses in the area could open but he urged caution Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families had been notified This is a small tightknit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for Johnson saidAnaconda about 25 miles 40 kilometres northwest of Butte is home to roughly 9000 people Hemmed in by mountains it was founded by copper barons who profited from nearby mines in the late 1800s A smelter stack that is no longer operational looms over the valleyBrown lived next door to The Owl Bar according to owner David Gwerder who was not there when the shooting happened Friday morning Gwerder told The Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed and he did not think anyone else was inside He was not aware of any conflicts between Brown and the victimsHe knew everybody who was in that bar I guarantee you that Gwerder said He didnt have any running dispute with any of them I just think he snapped Brown served in the Army as an armour crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005 according to Lt Col Ruth Castro an Army spokesperson Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009 Castro said and left military service at the rank of sergeantBrowns niece Clare Boyle told AP her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and she and other family members repeatedly sought help This isnt just a drunkhigh man going wild she said in a Facebook message Its a sick man who doesnt know who he is sometimes and frequently doesnt know where or when he is eitherA lockdown of the Stumptown Road area was lifted on Saturday A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees said Randy Clark a retired police officer who lives there Word of the shooting spread through the town after it took place and business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customersThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever