ANACONDA, MT – A sprawling, multi-agency manhunt for the man suspected of killing four people in a local bar on Friday has entered its fifth day, with law enforcement issuing a stark warning that the fugitive could be attempting to return to the very community he fled. The town of Anaconda remains on high alert as the search for suspect Michael Paul Brown, 45, continues across the rugged Montana landscape.

In a statement released late Sunday and reiterated on Tuesday, the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Sheriff's Office advised residents to remain vigilant. "We have reason to believe the suspect may try to return to the Anaconda area," said Sheriff Bill Safford. "He is considered armed and extremely dangerous. We urge the public not to approach him and to report any sightings to 911 immediately."

The warning has cast a palpable sense of unease over the small, tight-knit mining town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. The search for Brown has become the central focus for local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, who are coordinating efforts to apprehend him.

The Shooting and the Victims

The tragedy unfolded in the early morning hours of Friday, August 1, 2025. Authorities were called to a bar on the outskirts of Anaconda following reports of gunfire. Upon arrival, they discovered four individuals deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.

Officials have not yet publicly released the names of the victims, pending full notification of next of kin. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, and authorities have not commented on the relationship between Brown and the victims.

Within hours of the incident, law enforcement identified Michael Paul Brown, a resident of Anaconda, as the primary suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest on four counts of deliberate homicide. An alert was broadcast across Montana and neighboring states, describing Brown and the vehicle he was believed to be driving—a dark gray 2018 Ford F-150 pickup truck.

A Community on Edge

The ongoing search and the official warning have left Anaconda's residents shaken. Normally quiet streets are now punctuated by the presence of marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles. Many locals are staying home, and some businesses have adjusted their hours.

"You just don't expect this here," said one longtime resident who asked not to be named. "This is a place where everybody knows everybody. For this to happen, and for him to still be out there... it's terrifying."

Sheriff Safford acknowledged the community's fear but stressed that law enforcement was working around the clock. "We have dedicated all available resources to this operation," he stated during a brief press conference. "Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of this community and bring the suspect into custody without further incident."

Checkpoints have been established on several highways leading in and out of the county, and aerial surveillance is being used to scan remote, wooded areas where the suspect might be hiding.

The Suspect and the Investigation

Little public information is available about Michael Paul Brown beyond his identity and his connection to Anaconda. Law enforcement has focused its public messaging on the critical need for citizen cooperation. They have urged anyone who may have had contact with Brown in the days leading up to the shooting or has seen him since to come forward.

The investigation is being led by the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Sheriff's Office, with significant support from the Montana Highway Patrol, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

As the manhunt stretches on, authorities continue to plead with the public for tips that could lead to a breakthrough. They emphasize that any piece of information, no matter how small it may seem, could be crucial to locating Brown and bringing a resolution to a tragedy that has shattered the peace of this Montana town.