Four dead in Montana bar shooting; veteran suspect still sought

A small town in southwestern Montana remains on edge as officers continue the search for Michael Paul Brown a -year-old Army and National Guard veteran suspected of fatally shooting four people inside The Owl Bar on Friday morning The suspect who lived next door to the bar reportedly fled barefoot and shirtless into nearby woods after the attack which left the bartender and three patrons dead Law enforcement agencies including the Montana Department of Criminal Scrutiny FBI ATF and local sheriff s offices have launched a massive manhunt centered around Stumptown Road and Anderson Ranch Loop Road Residents have been urged to stay indoors and avoid the area Brown s family has revealed he struggled with mental illness for years describing him as a sick man who doesn t reliably know where or when he is His military system from to included time in the U S Army and Montana National Guard and administrators warn that his training and state of mind make him armed and extremely dangerous This tragic shooting has reignited national discussions about the intersection of veteran mental vitality firearm access and rural approach challenges According to the Department of Veterans Affairs VA veterans face suicide rates times higher than non-veterans with firearms involved in of veteran suicides in PTSD affects an estimated of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and up to of Vietnam veterans though a multitude of go undiagnosed or untreated Montana has one of the highest veteran populations per capita and certain of the nation s highest suicide rates Several veterans live far from VA hospitals or specialized care making regular mental physical condition restoration laborious Over half of rural veterans enrolled in VA healthcare are over and face complex therapeutic requirements including mental vitality issues Montana also lacks a red flag law which allows executives in other states to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others Without such tools law enforcement has limited options for intervention short of arrest The VA continues to promote suicide prevention strategies emphasizing safe firearm storage and culturally sensitive approaches that respect veterans relationships with guns while prioritizing safety For Anaconda and neighboring towns the ripple effects of this violence are deeply personal The public described as tight-knit and close now faces the daunting task of healing after a tragedy that has shattered its sense of safety and trust Administration continue to search the rugged terrain for Brown emphasizing that the society should remain vigilant and analysis any sightings right now Read more about veterans and mental wellbeing Silent wounds of a generation The toll of gun violence on youth mental physical condition and a call for change I can go anywhere How provision dogs help veterans with PTSD Veterans refugees and casualties of war crimes are all vulnerable to PTSD The post Four dead in Montana bar shooting veteran suspect still sought appeared first on Salon com