Deadly Grand Forks apartment shooting appears to be self-defense

GRAND FORKS — The investigation continues into a deadly shooting at a Grand Forks apartment building .

No arrests have been made as police believe it may be a case of self-defense.

It happened just before 9 p.m. Saturday night, April 1, on the bottom floor of the Stanford Manor apartments.

“He was a good neighbor, never had any altercations,” said Russell Elam, who lives in the building and was referring to 53-year-old neighbor Dwight Cross.

Elam still can’t shake what he saw in the hallway after rushing downstairs when he heard several pops.

“It shocked my eyes, I had to get away from the scene, it was dramatic,” Elam said.

According to the Grand Forks Police Department, Cross was laying on the floor after 24-year-old Javon Lowery of Grand Forks shot him once in the chest during a brief argument.

Police say Lowery actually fired multiple shots, but the rest missed. According to police, Lowery shot at Cross after he pulled out what Lowery thought was a sawed-off shotgun during the argument. It turned out it was only a pellet gun.

Lowery was the one who called 911.

“There were a couple witnesses on scene who officers were able to talk to who corroborated the story,” said Grand Forks Police Lt. Andy Stein.

Police said Cross and Lowery did not know each other, and Lowery did not live at the apartment.

Neighbors said Lowery did frequent the apartment next to Cross, and believe that’s how they crossed paths.

“Letters being passed under the door to a current resident who lives in the building and the boyfriend got upset,” Elam said.

Grand Forks police would not confirm or deny that as being the motive. At this point police believe Lowery was acting in self-defense.

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“The state’s attorney’s will get a chance to look at the case file and then make a determination whether or not charges would be warranted or not,” Stein said.

As detectives work to get to the bottom of what happened, Elam is praying for both families.

“God bless both of those guys,” he said.

Grand Forks police did not have an exact timeline for when the case will be turned over to prosecutors.