ANACONDA — The owner of Carmel's Bar in Anaconda has been shot and killed, less than a year after four people were murdered at the Owl Bar just two blocks away.
Shane Charles was shot Saturday evening and died at the hospital.
The suspect, 61-year-old Mark Lock of Anaconda, fled the scene before being arrested near his home several blocks away and now faces a murder charge.
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The shooting has reopened wounds for neighbors and business owners still recovering from the Owl Bar murders 10 months ago.
"It opens up old wounds again. We have to start all over again. We haven't healed up from the first go-around," Owl Bar owner David Gwerder said.
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Four people — a bartender and three patrons — were murdered inside the Owl Bar in August 2025.
Suspect Michael Brown fled the scene and disappeared into the dense forest west of town.
Brown was apprehended a week after the shooting and now faces four counts of deliberate homicide and other charges. He is undergoing mental health evaluations and has a status hearing set for July 1.
Despite the back-to-back tragedies, Gwerder said he does not believe Anaconda is a dangerous place.
"No. Freak things happen. You know? I been here 31 years. Nothing like this has ever happened before until this past year," Gwerder said.
I interviewed Charles last August just several weeks after the Owl Bar murders, when he was planning a benefit to raise money for the victims' families. He described the event as part of Anaconda's healing process.
"I would say we're healing slowly. It was an unexpected, horrific event – a horrific tragedy. We're healing slowly," Charles said.
Now, that healing process must begin again. Gwerder said the community will do what it has always done.
"They'll pull together again. They did it before. That's one thing, this community is strong. Everybody gets together and does what they have to do," Gwerder said.
"We'll get through it again. Won't be easy but we'll get through and my sympathies go out to the family," Gwerder said.
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