News briefs for March 4, 2003

Tuesday, March 4, 2003 | 9:39 a.m.

Metro IDs officer in fatal shooting

A Metro Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man outside a Las Vegas home on Friday has been identified as Brian Hartman.

Hartman, 29, has been on the police force since January 2001.

Under department policy, Hartman is on paid administrative leave pending a review of the shooting and a coroner's inquest.

The dead man was identified as Orlando D. Barlow, 28, a five-time felon.

Barlow had been baby-sitting a woman's seven children before she called police about 3:45 a.m. Friday, saying that Barlow was inside her house with a sawed-off shotgun and the children.

Police said that Barlow left the gun inside, backing out of the house. He dropped to his knees in the front yard. Officers said that Barlow reached for his waistband several times and ignored police commands to raise his hands.

Hartman shot him once in the back.

Front from Alaska brings in a chill

A cold front moving down from Alaska brought a chance of rain today along with cooler temperatures to Southern Nevada.

The National Weather Service had forecast a 20 percent chance of a shower or an isolated thunderstorm today. The front is expected to clear out overnight.

Most of the rain was expected to fall south of Nevada, while and snow showers were expected north of Las Vegas in Lincoln County.

Temperatures will be cooler than normal with daytime highs in the mid-50s and a low tonight in the upper 30s.