ANACONDA, Mont.
The search for Michael Paul Brown, the former U.S. soldier suspected of a deadly shooting last week,entered its fifth day Tuesday.
Authorities have identified the four victims as Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed an executive order Tuesday to boost resources for the ongoing manhunt. Brown is suspected of killing four people at The Owl Bar in anaconda.
More than three dozen law enforcement agencies are now involved in the search in the rugged,mountainous terrain. Montana’s top officials have declared the situation the state’s highest priority.
A Montana National Guard team has logged nearly 20 hours of flight time since Friday,scanning the area for clues. Meanwhile, an undisclosed number of officers are conducting ground searches.
“Rest assured, our brave men and women of law enforcement aren’t giving up, and I ask that you not give up on them either,” Gianforte stated.
Brown, 45, allegedly used a rifle, believed to be his personal firearm, to fatally shoot the four victims at The Owl Bar. He reportedly fled in a white pickup, later abandoning it and stealing another white vehicle. This second vehicle was found stocked with clothing, shoes, and camping gear.
The shooting has deeply affected Anaconda, a close-knit community of about 9,000 residents. Many remain on edge as the suspect remains at large.
cassandra Dutra, a former bartender at The Owl Bar, recalled Brown making peculiar statements, including beliefs that the CIA was pursuing him. She described the bar as a place where everyone knew each other, akin to the TV show “Cheers.”
“Specifically our last interaction, he was talking about how him and his dad had been the ones to neutralize [Osama] bin Laden and how his dad had went in first ahead of him with a gun,” Dutra said. “He also talked about how Harley Davidson was his son.”
Family members have shared that Brown has a history of mental illness, and they had previously sought help for him. Over the weekend, authorities released a photograph of Brown appearing barefoot and wearing black shorts, captured as he fled the scene. He was seen descending outdoor concrete steps.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen reiterated Tuesday that authorities consider Brown armed and extremely hazardous. He confirmed that evidence suggests the search is focused in the correct area, though specific details were withheld.
Approximately 22 square miles of forest southwest of Anaconda have been temporarily closed to the public.Knudsen noted that there is no indication Brown has broken into any local cabins or homes for supplies.
The exact number of law enforcement personnel involved in the search was not disclosed Tuesday. Canine units and drones equipped with heat-detection technology are being utilized.
“It’s vital that you know that we are doing everything we can to keep Anacondans safe,” Anaconda Deer Lodge County Chief of Police Bill Sather said Monday. “If there is a need to convey a security risk, other than has already been said, we will make sure that you know.”
Federal authorities are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for data leading to Brown’s capture.
Kristian Kelley, whose mother was among the victims, stated she knew Brown but had never heard her mother mention him. “He was somebody that needed some serious resources. He had some mental health issues and also PTSD from being in the military,” Kelley said. “I’ve never known him to be violent. He was a person who woudl tell pretty strange stories and different things like that.”
Brown, who resided next door to The Owl Bar, served in the army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, deploying to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005. He also served in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009.
