On a tragic Wednesday afternoon in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the life of 29-year-old White/Caucasian male Cody Holte was cut short in a hail of gunfire. The events of May 27, 2020, unfolded when two Grand Forks County Sheriff's deputies attempted to serve eviction-related paperwork at an apartment on the city's south side. Upon entering the apartment, the deputies were met with immediate gunfire from a man identified as 41-year-old Salamah Q.
Pendleton.
Pendleton had retreated into a bedroom and began firing at the deputies with a semi-automatic rifle. One of the deputies was struck by the initial volley of shots. The deputies called for emergency assistance, and Officer Cody Holte of the Grand Forks Police Department was one of the officers who responded to the urgent request for backup. Upon his arrival, a chaotic and violent scene awaited him and his fellow officers as Pendleton continued to fire his weapon.
In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Officer Holte sustained fatal injuries. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his wounds. A 61-year-old woman, Lola Moore, who was also inside the apartment, was fatally shot during the incident. One of the sheriff's deputies also suffered gunshot wounds but survived. Pendleton was wounded by return fire from the officers and was subsequently taken into custody at the scene.
Following the shootout, Salamah Q. Pendleton was arrested and faced multiple charges, including two counts of murder for the deaths of Officer Cody Holte and Lola Moore. In October 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Officer Holte, a three-year veteran of the police department and a member of the North Dakota Army National Guard, was remembered as a dedicated public servant. He left behind a wife and a young son.
