Search for the bar shooter who killed 4 is Montana's highest priority, governor says

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Tuesday signed an executive order freeing up more resources for local law enforcement as they searched a mountainous area for a former U.S. soldier suspected of killing four people at a bar last week.

The search for Michael Paul Brown stretched into its fifth day with more than three dozen law enforcement agencies helping with an effort that Montana's top officials described during a news conference as the highest priority in the state.

A team with the Montana National Guard has flown nearly 20 hours since last Friday, looking for any clues for Brown's whereabouts as an undisclosed number of officers searched on foot.

"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 said.

Authorities say Brown, 45, fatally shot four people last Friday at The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda with a rifle that police believe was his personal weapon. He fled in a white pickup that he later ditched and stole another white vehicle stocked with clothes, shoes and camping supplies.

A female bartender and three male patrons were killed. They have been identified as Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64; Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74.

The shooting rattled the tight-knit town of about 9,000 people, and many residents remain on high alert with the suspect still at large.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen reiterated Tuesday that authorities are operating under the assumption that Brown is armed and extremely dangerous.

Without providing more details, Knudsen said there's evidence that authorities are searching in the right area. About 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) of forest southwest of Anaconda have been closed to the public by the National Forest System as the search continues. Knudsen added that it does not appear that Brown has broken into any cabins or homes in the area to get food or additional supplies.

Knudsen and investigators declined to share the number of law enforcement personnel active in the search Tuesday. Canine detection units and drones equipped with heat-detection technology were also being used in the search, they said.

Federal authorities were offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to Brown’s capture.

Family members have said Brown has struggled with mental illness for years, and they had sought help for him.

Brown, who lived next door to The Owl Bar, served in the Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005. He also was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009.

Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP)

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 at the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse regarding a shooting at the Owl Bar in Anaconda, Mont. last Friday. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP)

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, center, speaks to the press on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 at the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse regarding a shooting at the Owl Bar in Anaconda, Mont. last Friday. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP)

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte addresses questions about a fatal shooting at a Montana bar during a news conference outside the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse in Anaconda, Mont., Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP)

Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. (Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP)

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan didn’t let city rival Inter Milan open up too big a gap at the top of Serie A as it fought back to win 3-1 at in-form Como on Thursday, with Adrien Rabiot winning a penalty and then scoring two goals.

Inter had moved six points clear of Milan and Napoli with a 1-0 win over Lecce on Wednesday, coupled with Napoli’s frustrating draw against Parma.

Milan’s victory saw the Rossoneri cut the gap back to three points.

It didn’t start off so well for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, however.

Como — which was sixth in Serie A — got off to the perfect start when a corner was taken short and then floated in for Marc-Oliver Kempf to head the hosts into the lead in the 10th minute.

Como dominated but Milan leveled on the stroke of halftime when it was awarded a penalty after Rabiot was brought down by Kempf and Christopher Nkunku’s spot kick squirmed under the body of Jean Butez.

Milan turned the match around completely 10 minutes into the second half. Rafael Leão controlled a crossfield pass and then cut inside before lifting the ball over for Rabiot to chest down and volley across into the bottom right corner.

And Rabiot sealed the match shortly before full time when Niclas Füllkrug headed a ball back to the France midfielder and he drilled hard and low into the near corner.

Bologna ended a miserable run as it fought back to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in a match full of spectacular goals.

Bologna hadn’t won since November and got off to a poor start when it gave away the ball in the opposition penalty area and Antoine Bernède raced almost from box to box before laying it off for Gift Orban to fire home.

Riccardo Orsolini curled in an equalizer following a smart free kick and equally impressive goals from Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro put Bologna 3-1 up at halftime.

Bologna midfielder Remo Marco Freuler accidentally turned a cross into his own net in the 71st minute.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Verona's Gift Orban, left, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Bologna's Santiago Castro (9), right, celebrates goal 1-3 during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Marc-Oliver Kempf, center, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Nico Paz, left, and AC Milan's Luka Modric in action during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)