Michael Brown, the man authorities suspect of fatally shooting four people at The Owl Bar in Anaconda on Aug. 1, was apprehended Friday, according to the state Department of Justice.
“It’s a good day. We got our man. Michael Paul Brown is in custody. He was arrested today, one week later, [at] approximately 2 p.m. this afternoon,” said Attorney General Austin Knudsen at a 5:30 p.m. press conference outside the courthouse in Anaconda. “… He was apprehended just west of Anaconda near the Ranch Bar just south of Highway 1.”
Authorities believe Brown, 45, killed four people a week ago in the small town of Anaconda with a rifle that police believe was his personal weapon. A female bartender and three male patrons died. They have been identified as Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.
The search lasted seven days and included more than 250 personnel from 39 county, state and federal teams. Knudsen said Friday that he believed a 130-person sweep of a nearby hill the day prior forced Brown into an area law enforcement had already searched. At a Tuesday press conference, Montana’s top officials described the search as the highest priority in the state.
“It’s not some place he’d been hiding; he was flushed out,” Knudsen said.
Brown was in good physical condition and was “technically armed” when he was caught, Knudsen said, declining to elaborate further because of the ongoing homicide investigation. Brown has received medical care since his apprehension and is being held at the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center. Knudsen specifically thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
Immediately after the shooting, authorities believe Brown left the bar for his home next door before moving to another hiding place inside a structure down the street. A photo showing Brown wearing only underwear was taken as he left that structure, moments before authorities believe he stole a truck stocked with clothes, shoes and camping supplies.
Law enforcement was unable to apprehend Brown when he fled despite police immediately identifying him inside the vehicle.
“The trick became an almost identical vehicle pulled into the highway in front of him. And so law enforcement wasn’t sure which white F-150 he was in,” Knudsen said at the Friday press conference. Authorities said tips from the public helped in the search, but did not provide specifics on how.
Gov. Greg Gianforte also celebrated the outcome in Anaconda on Friday.
“[Law enforcement] responded to every call. They followed up on every tip. They spent hours climbing over these mountains looking for this criminal,” Gianforte said.
At the same press conference, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Morgan Smith said that “the manhunt has come to an end, but the homicide investigation remains ongoing.” The prosecution and investigation will be predominantly handled by Montana DCI and Anaconda-Deer Lodge police. Smith did not provide further details, including the anticipated timeline for when Brown would be charged or have an initial appearance in court, “to ensure the fairness and integrity of the case as it moves forward.”
Brown’s niece, Clare Boyle, told the Associated Press in a recent interview that her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and that she and other family members repeatedly sought help. The AP reported that family members had requested welfare checkups when they believed Brown was becoming a danger to himself. Brown was an avid hunter and kept guns at home. He served in the Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005. He also was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009.
Boyle told AP that Brown would tell authorities he was fine. The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Department did not respond this week to several email and phone messages from the AP requesting records of the welfare checks Boyle said they helped conduct on Brown in the years leading up to the shooting.
Asked Friday at the press conference to comment on whether local law enforcement heeded the family’s request for mental health check-ins, Knudsen offered a one-word answer.
“No.”
The AP reported it was not immediately clear if Brown had legal representation.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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