PAROWAN — Police have released the name of the Parowan man shot and killed by an officer Thursday night after allegedly pointing a gun at him.

Rocco Joseph Palmisano III, 50, was shot twice after police were called to his home near 800 West and 200 South on a report of him hitting a boy in the face.

Palmisano "pointed a handgun at the officer while approaching him in an aggressive manner," Cedar City police said in a prepared statement.

Officials also said Monday that Parowan police officer Tyler Uresk was the policeman who shot Palmisano. Uresk was placed on paid administrative leave until the Iron County Critical Incident Task Force finishes its investigation of the shooting, which is standard procedure.

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Palmisano pointed a gun at Uresk when the two encountered each other in the driveway of the home, Cedar City Police Sgt. Jimmy Roden said. Uresk was not injured.

The Iron County Critical Incident Task Force, which includes officers from multiple agencies in the county, plans to finish its investigation by the end of this week, Roden said.

Neighbors said the boy Palmisano was allegedly hitting in the face is his son, between 9 and 12 years old. The boy was treated for minor injuries and put in the care of family members, police said. Investigators haven't said whether the child witnessed Palmisano being shot.

Shane Neyome, a neighbor of Palmisano's who also worked with him, said he was a nice man unless he started drinking. Palmisano would sometimes get out of control when he drank, Neyome said, and "sometimes he'd take it out on his son."

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