In the line of duty, 55-year-old Night Marshal Pleasant Eugene Holt of the Villa Rica Police Department, Georgia, lost his life on Saturday, April 18, 1908. His end of watch came when he was fatally shot by an intoxicated man he had seen firing a handgun within the city limits.
The incident unfolded as Marshal Holt attempted to arrest the man for the weapons violation. During the attempt, the suspect discharged his handgun, striking Marshal Holt three times. Despite the grave injuries, the assailant was successfully taken into custody.
Following his arrest, the man who shot Marshal Holt was jailed. However, he would never face trial for the murder. Before he could be brought to justice, he succumbed to tuberculosis. At the time of his death, Marshal Holt was survived by his wife and their seven children.
