Niece Says Montana Bar Shooting Suspect Was Turned Away From Mental Health Treatment

The fishy accused of fatally shooting four group astatine a Montana bar and who remains astatine ample struggled pinch intelligence wellness issues, but was denied services from agencies that were expected to help, according to his niece.

Michael Paul Brown.Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center

The hunt for Michael Paul Brown, 45, continued Wednesday successful relationship pinch nan Friday greeting shooting astatine nan Owl Bar successful nan municipality of Anaconda. Brown, who officials opportunity lived adjacent doorway to nan barroom and apt knew nan victims, allegedly fled aft opening fire.

“My uncle is simply a very mentally sick veteran,” Clare Boyle said successful a connection to NBC connection KNDU of Kennewick, Washington. “He had developed schizophrenia during his clip successful Iraq and Afghanistan. Then he joined nan National Guard, wherever he was not allowed to beryllium deployed again owed to his intelligence illness."

Boyle said Brown "hasn’t been nan aforesaid since he came back."

Boyle did not respond to a petition for remark from NBC News.

The Army said Brown had served arsenic an armor crewman from January 2001 to May 2005, and successful nan Montana National Guard from April 2006 to March 2009. He had been deployed to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, and yet near nan Army pinch nan rank of sergeant.

The National Guard did not respond to a petition for remark connected his intelligence health.

Boyle said her uncle’s information worsened pinch nan decease of some of his parents, particularly his mother.

“The VA turned america distant stating that they weren’t capable to help. The Montana authorities Hospital turned america distant because they only judge patients who are tribunal ordered which could not hap unless ‘He becomes a harm to aforesaid aliases others.’"

"The strategy failed," Boyle said. "We arsenic group failed."

The Department of Veteran Affairs and nan Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services did not respond to NBC News’ petition for remark Tuesday.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte was asked during a news convention Tuesday astir whether Brown had been denied thief from Veteran Affairs.

“Under national rule we can’t remark connected an individual patient," he said, adding, "we're not astatine liberty to merchandise that." Attorney General Austen Knudsen said his agency doesn’t person that information.

Boyle said that her uncle “frequently suffers from delusions and ‘tall tales’” but “99% of nan clip Mikee is harmless.” She said that patrons of nan barroom would urinate connected his structure and mock his delusions to get a emergence retired of him.

“He mostly believes he is John Wick. Only he is sent present from nan early to prevention nan world and his family. My uncle doesn’t portion anymore aliases usage narcotics because ‘They artifact my wizard powers,'" she said. "I conscionable want him to beryllium recovered safely and person nan thief we’ve been screaming for."

It’s not clear what motivated nan shooting.

Authorities opportunity Brown opened occurrence utilizing a individual firearm astir 10:30 a.m. and past fled nan Owl Bar. Bartender Nancy Lauretta Kelley, 64, and patrons Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74, were killed successful nan shooting.

“I don’t cognize what happened Thursday nighttime to provoke this and I don’t cognize what happened Friday greeting to push this," Boyle said. "What I do cognize is nary magnitude of words aliases apologies will ever beryllium capable to definitive nan remorse and heartbreak I personally consciousness for these families effected. 5 families were destroyed connected Friday morning."

In nan statement, Boyle said that nan shooting is indefensible but that it could person been prevented if her uncle had been fixed amended care.

"Mental unwellness does not excuse these acts and I can’t opportunity it enough," she said. "But these acts could person been prevented pinch due reporting and a healthcare strategy that gave a damn astir its veterans and citizens."

She described her uncle arsenic a loving comparative who taught her really to thrust a bike, fish, aquatics and play shot and baseball.

Brown "drove an hr and a half to person luncheon pinch maine erstwhile I was distant astatine assemblage because I was location sick and didn’t want to beryllium location anymore," she said.

"He’s a quality being. A very sick 1 astatine that," she added.

The manhunt for Brown is ongoing. He was past seen Friday day during a car pursuit pinch rule enforcement.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for accusation connected Brown’s whereabouts. Officials judge he’s armed and dangerous arsenic he has entree to galore firearms.