5-year-old son of slain Indiana officer shares message for his dad



TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The 5-year-old son of an Indiana police officer who was fatally shot in the line of duty Friday shared a message for his father.



Josie Huff told WTHI that her son, Dakota Pitts, thought these words might help his dad see from heaven:

“Dear Dad, I love you and I miss you so much.”


Dakota has been visiting his father's patrol car – which has been converted into a memorial outside of Terre Haute police headquarters.

Huff said Dakota's heart hurts, but he has been watching the news and enjoys seeing the people who have been honoring his dad.

Other family members told WTHI that they aren’t ready to speak publicly regarding their loss.



Officer Rob Pitts lost his life after being shot during an exchange of gunfire with homicide suspect Christopher Wolfe, 21, at the Garden Quarter Apartments.

Wolfe, who was wanted in the death of his roommate, also died during the gun battle.

“Everybody gets scared,” said officer Ryan Adamson, who talked with Pitts about retirement over lunch just two days before the killing. “But I think it's fair to say Rob was an officer who was willing to take risks, maybe some more than others, and I can’t tell you that he didn’t know fear because every person has fear but he didn’t let that stop him from doing his job.”

Visitation services for Pitts will be held at the Hulman Center on the Indiana State University campus from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday with the funeral to follow Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.