Correctional Officer James Walter Harbin, II, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada

Correctional Officer James Walter Harbin, II

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada

End of Watch Sunday, March 18, 1979

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James Walter Harbin, II

Correctional Officer Jim Harbin was shot and killed while on his way to work when he interrupted a robbery at a local convenience store at 3500 E Charleston Boulevard.

As he entered the store the clerk tried to warn him that a robbery was in progress. When the suspect saw Officer Harbin in uniform he opened fire, thinking Officer Harbin was a police officer. The suspect was apprehended after holding officers at bay for several hours.

Officer Harbin previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for only six weeks and was scheduled to start the police academy the following month. He was survived by his parents.

Bio

Age 22
Tour 1 month, 2 weeks
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Apprehended

off duty, robbery

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I also worked at Mc Donald’s with Jim. We dated and fell in love, he asked me to marry him . That didn’t happen and to this day I wonder why. My heart still breaks everyday and I have so many questions. I would love to talk to anyone who knows what happened and why we broke up. I also went to ranch high school with him. He was killed on the night of my 21st birthday. He used to drive past my house all the time I lived right by the circle k store where he was killed. I will never stop loving him and have so many questions about that time , right before he joined the service. His parents did not want us dating much less get married, so much happened in our lives back then. He used to let me drive his mustang .

Margie Lestingi
Dated him

June 5, 2025