James Walter Harbin II
March 18, 1979

Correction Officer James Walter Harbin II joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on February 7, 1979.

On March 18, 1979, approximately six weeks later, Officer Harbin was shot and killed in a convenience store he had stopped at while en route to work.

The store clerk had tried to warn him of the robbery in progress, but because he was in a uniform almost identical to a police officer, he was mistaken for a police officer and shot.

The suspect was later apprehended after holding police at bay for several hours.

Officer Harbin died at 22 years of age and was survived by his parents.