News briefs for Sept. 11, 2003

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003 | 10:48 a.m.

Officers named in fatal shooting

Metro Police have released the names of the two officers who shot a 21-year-old robbery suspect Monday.

Pasquale Varrati, 31, and Benjamin Cohen, 28, who have been with the department since July 1998, shot and killed Charles Rorie III after, police say, he lunged at the plainclothes officers with a knife. Rorie had been accused of stealing a beer from a convenience store while armed with a knife.

The officers have been placed on routine paid leave pending the outcome of a coroner's inquest, scheduled for Oct. 10.

An inquest in connection with a shooting at a Walgreens pharmacy last month is scheduled for Sept. 19. In that case, two Metro officers fired their weapons at a former officer who had kidnapped a doctor.

Bicyclist injured in collision

A 52-year-old bicyclist was critically injured when he was hit by a sport utility vehicle Wednesday at Washington Avenue and Robin Street, near Rancho Drive.

Metro Police said Ramon Rodriguez of Las Vegas was riding a Huffy 15-speed bike along Washington on the sidewalk and then entered the eastbound travel lane. Several vehicles nearly collided with Rodriguez as he failed to yield to oncoming traffic, police said.

Rodriguez crossed into the westbound lanes in front of a 1994 Oldsmobile SUV driven by Annquette Duffy, 29, of Las Vegas. She could not stop her vehicle in time and hit Rodriguez, police said. Rodriguez suffered critical injuries and was taken to University Medical Center. Neither Duffy nor her four passengers were hurt.

Rodriguez's failure to obey traffic laws caused the collision, police said.

A man who was shot

and killed Saturday at the Paradise Village Way apartments at Tropicana and Eastern avenues has been identified as Blake Edward Chase, 20, of Trinidad, Calif., the coroner's office said.