ANACONDA — The search continued Monday night for the suspect accused of killing four people at an Anaconda bar on Friday.
On Monday, joint law enforcement teams continued to search the mountains west of town for 45-year-old Michael Brown. Law enforcement says he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Anaconda Deer Lodge Chief of Police Bill Sather gave a brief update Monday evening around 5:30 p.m., addressing the community of Anaconda directly.
Watch the full press conference
“The Anaconda Law Enforcement Officers are working hand in hand with folks from the assisting agencies. I recognize the public wanting regular updates and knowing they haven’t heard from me as much as you’d like,” said Sather. “I am focusing my efforts to find Mr. Brown and our law enforcement officers are doing the same.”
Residents expressed frustration with a perceived lack of communication about the status of the case.
Sather noted that his officers have been working around the clock to bring the matter to a close.
“I’m just going to say, we got 20 guys who have all been putting in 18-19 hours a day,” said Sather. “It’s important that you know we’re doing everything to keep Anaconda safe. If there is a need to convey a security risk, we will make sure that you know.”
Sather did not take any questions from the media, and he declined to answer whether there were any indications Brown was still in the area or if he was still armed. The chief responded, saying he had to go and it was all under investigation.
Search efforts appeared to continue in the area of Stumptown Road on Monday.
Montana U.S. Sen. Steve Daines addressed the situation on Monday on FOX News, thanking law enforcement for their tireless efforts to locate Brown and said infrared cameras and search dogs were being used.
“We're hoping that we will bring him and apprehend him, bring him to justice soon. But he's hiding just west of Anaconda," Daines said. "And we pray for the safety of those brave men and women who are operating a 24/7 operation. They're using infrared cameras. They've got dogs. They've had a few hits with the dogs. I'm hopeful that very shortly our law enforcement is going to get this guy and apprehend him and bring him out.”
Gov. Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen will be in Anaconda on Tuesday to be briefed on the manhunt.
If you have any information, you can call the tipline at 1-877-wanted2 or 1-877-926-8332.
According to the Montana Department of Justice, at about 10:30 a.m. on Friday Brown walked into the Owl Bar in Anaconda and began shooting, killing four people. He then fled the scene in a pickup truck to the west of town, into the surrounding mountains.
The victims were identified Sunday as Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, David Allen Leach, 70, and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.
More than a hundred personnel from numerous agencies participated in the manhunt for Brown over the last few days.
Brown’s family told MTN he was an Army veteran who suffered from significant mental health challenges, including schizophrenia and PTSD.
Brown's family told MTN they had sought help for Brown through both the Montana VA and the Montana State Hospital, but were not able to get assistance.
