SLIPPERY ROCK — The borough council meeting Tuesday night descended into chaos after a moment of silence for a landlord who died over the weekend.

Before the meeting, Councilman Itzi Meztli requested a moment of silence for Frank Monteleone Jr., who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Saturday evening outside the borough building.

Monteleone had regularly attended council meetings, often butting heads with borough officials.

Councilman Bob Bowser said that council has not had moments of silence for other borough businessmen who have died. He also noted that Monteleone took out ads in the Butler Eagle over the summer that implied that people could react violently due to the way the council conducts business.

“He threatened to shoot us,” Bowser said.

But Meztli went ahead and held his own moment of silence for Monteleone.

Council Vice President Christy Tichy read a statement saying that the borough is sending out prayers to the Monteleone family.

A family member implied that the statement was not sincere, but Tichy said it was.

However, Bowser said that it was not sincere on his part and that Monteleone should have gotten whatever help he needed.

Several residents, some of whom were wearing pins with pictures of Monteleone, told Bowser that he should be ashamed of himself.

Police Chief Terry Fedokovitz called for order and told everyone to conduct themselves in a respectful manner.

“It’s a human life that was lost,” Fedokovitz said.

Bowser apologized for his comments, and later he apologized again.