Man Slain At Party For Victim Of Killing

Off-Duty Officers From Pr. George's Shoot Suspect

It was supposed to be a birthday celebration for a young man gunned down four weeks ago in a carjacking in Southeast Washington, a party Michol Brown's friends and family vowed at his funeral would be held despite his death.

But the revelry at a Knights of Columbus hall in Fort Washington turned deadly early yesterday. An argument left one man dead, another charged with murder and two Prince George's County police officers on routine administrative leave after they shot the suspect.

The trouble started inside the hall while the party was in full swing, with a boisterous crowd that had swelled to more than 100, police said. Anthony Fontane, a 39-year-old roofing contractor and father of a teenager, pointed at a young woman he knew from their Southwest Washington neighborhood, where most of the guests live.

A man standing next to the woman thought Fontane was pointing at him and took offense, family members said they were told by people at the party.

"This guy took it the wrong way and went over to [Fontane] and asked him why he was doing that, basically in street terms told him to stop," said a family member who did not want to be identified because of the ongoing investigation.

A fight broke out, with several people attacking Fontane, according to family members who spoke with partygoers.

Fontane walked outside to the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus hall, where his truck was parked, police and family members said. He was followed by 19-year-old Donte Guzman, family members said.

After a brief exchange, Guzman pulled out a gun and opened fire, police said. Two off-duty Prince George's police officers who were working security at the party heard the shots and ran outside, police said. They said that the officers pursued Guzman on foot and that when he did not stop, they each fired, striking him in the leg.

Guzman was taken to a hospital, where he was being treated. He was charged yesterday with first-degree murder, Cpl. Diane Richardson said.

The homicide was the 144th investigated by Prince George's police this year.

Richardson said the officers, one with 18 years of service, the other with three, were immediately placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. She said police would release their names today. Brown had booked the hall to celebrate his 25th birthday. But he was shot and killed Dec. 3 on South Capitol Street in the District.

Fontane grew up in Southwest and had a roofing contracting business with a friend. His wife died of cancer when his 13-year-old son was 3. The boy lived with his father.

His brother, Aaron Boulware, said Fontane "was a giving, good person. Not to say that any of us are perfect, but he was good in his own right."

Joe Cowan, Guzman's father, said his son graduated from Ballou Senior High School in 2006. Guzman was unemployed but was interested in becoming an auto mechanic.

Cowan said Guzman attended the party because "it was like the whole neighborhood was there.''

The family "doesn't have a clue what happened," Cowan said.

Tom Casey, a spokesman for the Knights of Columbus, said yesterday that the party was well supervised. He declined to comment further.

Yesterday afternoon, a class of police recruits combed the parking lot in front of the Knights hall for evidence among the cigarette butts and empty plastic cups strewed across the asphalt.