State and local officials and law enforcement announced Friday they had captured a “technically” armed man near Anaconda alleged to have killed four people in an Aug. 1 shooting in that town, and he was in custody on Friday.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton first confirmed the news that 45-year old Michael Brown was apprehended to several news agencies on Friday afternoon.
Shortly after, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the news in a social media post and held a press conference with Attorney General Austin Knudsen later in the afternoon.
Knudsen called the level of cooperation among agencies “unprecedented.” He added Brown was “technically” armed but declined to give further details.
At the press conference, Knudsen said efforts to search in surrounding areas helped “flush” Brown out. The U.S. Marshal’s Service directly aided in the capture, he said.
Brown was apprehended around 2 p.m. on Friday near the Ranch Bar along Highway 1.
“The Anaconda shooter Michael Brown has been apprehended,” the governor posted on X. “Incredible response from law enforcement officers across Montana. Thank you to all partners for your commitment to the search. May God continue to be with the families of the four victims still grieving their loss.”
U.S. Senator Steve Daines also responded to the news on social media.
“Thanks to all the brave law enforcement officials who helped apprehend the Anaconda shooting suspect,” Daines wrote on X. “For the past week, Anaconda and the surrounding community showed the country the resilience and grit that makes MT special. Our thoughts continue to be with the victims and their families.”
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies had been looking for Brown for a week.
At around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, authorities say Brown walked into the Owl Bar at 819 E. 3rd St. in Anaconda and began firing.
According to the Montana Standard, the suspect was a U.S. military veteran, serving in the Army from 2001 to 2005. He was then in the National Guard from 2006 to 2009, becoming a sergeant in the force, the newspaper reported.
