The Criminal Investigation Agency Montana confirmed that the mass shooting occurred at The Owl bar in Anaconda at around 10:30 a.m. on August 1, local time.
The authorities identified the suspect as Michael Paul Brown as a hiding, armed and dangerous person. Public records show that the suspect lived next to The Owl bar.
Authorities are searching for the suspect in western Anaconda, near Stumptown and Anderson Ranch Loop. "We ask everyone to stay away from this area," the announcement said.
The neighboring Granite District Police Department's office announced on social media that the suspect was wearing a light-dyed shirt, blue jeans and wearing an orange bandana.
Local newspaper Anaconda Leader, published twice a week, has announced the closure of its office and the August issue will not be published until the situation surrounding the shooting is resolved. According to Anaconda Leader, the articles of the newspaper will be published online.
As of now, about 256 mass shootings have occurred in the US in 2025, including the Anaconda shooting.
In 2024, there were about 503 mass shootings, according to data analysis from the gun violence archive, in which mass shooting is defined as an incident in which 4 or more people were shot or died, excluding the perpetrator.
