Manhunt continues for Montana bar shooter who killed four

A manhunt for the suspect in a Montana bar shooting that killed four people stretched into a third day on Sunday. About 250 law enforcement officers combed the area around the small town of Anaconda over the weekend, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said on Sunday. The suspect, Michael P. Brown, 45, fled to nearby foothills after allegedly shooting four people in the Owl Bar in Anaconda on Friday morning, Knudsen said. Brown stole a truck containing camping equipment as he fled and was likely still armed, Knudsen said.

The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Marshals Service were assisting with the search, Knudsen said. Search teams were using thermal imaging and airborne capabilities, he said. Some Montana law enforcement members would need to return to their home offices on Monday to help manage the ongoing tourist season, but the search would remain top priority, he said.

Who died in the shooting? Knudsen on Sunday also released the names of the four victims, all from Anaconda, Mont. The dead were bartender Lauretta Kelley and three customers: Daniel Edwin Baillie, David Allen Leach, and Tony Wayne Palm. The victims were all in their 50s to 70s. The suspect allegedly used a rifle to shoot them, Knudsen said. The suspect lived next door to the bar and frequented it, according to Knudsen. Brown likely knew the victims, Knudsen said.

The suspect is presumed legally innocent until proven guilty in court.

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