ANACONDA, Mont. — A shooting at The Owl Bar in Anaconda at 10:30 a.m. on Friday resulted in four fatalities, according to law enforcement officials.
The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Michael Brown of Anaconda and remains at large.
Authorities said Brown was last seen driving a stolen 2007 white Ford F-150 pickup with Montana plates DTY493.
The vehicle was spotted heading west of Anaconda on Stumptown Road.
Brown is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair.
Officials warned that Brown is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous.
Law enforcement agencies urge anyone who sees Brown or his vehicle to contact them immediately.
Those with additional information are asked to reach out to Anaconda/Deer Lodge Law Enforcement at 563-5241.
“There is a heavy law enforcement presence west of Anaconda near Stumptown Road and Anderson Ranch Loop Road.
Authorities are searching for a suspect believed to be armed. Please avoid the area,” according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
Brown, lived next door to the bar, according to public records. Authorities said his home was cleared by a SWAT team and is still at large, according to the Granite County Sheriff’s Office.
As reports of the shooting spread through town, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. At Caterpillars to Butterflies Childcare, a nursery a few blocks from the shooting scene, owner Sage Huot said she’d kept the children inside all day after someone called to let her know about the violence.
“We’re constantly doing practice drills, fire drills and active shooter drills, so we locked down the facility, locked the doors, and we have a quiet spot where we play activities away from all of our windows and doors,” Huot said.
The owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda said she locked up her business at about 11 a.m. Friday after getting alerted to the shooting by a friend.
“We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,” café owner Barbie Nelson said. “For our town to be locked down, everybody’s pretty rattled.”
Officials are asking people to avoid the Anaconda area.
