Military vet accused of killing 4 in Montana bar shooting: Day 2 in the Manhunt mission
A manhunt was underway in Montana on Saturday for a former United States soldier accused of fatally shooting four people at a bar in a “senseless act of violence,” police said.
The gunfire erupted around 10:30 a.m. local time on Friday at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, a small city of about 9,000 people surrounded by mountains, according to the Montana Department of Justice.
On Saturday, authorities released a photo of the suspect, barefoot and shirtless, walking down what appeared to be a flight of outdoor concrete steps. The photo showed Brown, wearing black shorts, fleeing after the shooting Friday, according to the Division of Criminal Investigation.
“While 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.
Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified.
“This is a small tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,” Johnson said.
Anaconda, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Butte, is hemmed in by mountains. The town of about 9,000 people was founded by copper barons who profited off nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that’s no longer operational looms over the valley.
Brown lived next door to The Owl Bar, said owner David Gwerder, who wasn’t there during the shooting Friday morning. Gwerder told The Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed and didn’t think anyone else was inside. He also said he wasn’t aware of any conflicts between Brown and any of the victims.
