The five-year-old son of an Indiana police officer who was killed in the line of duty was accompanied on his first day back to school by more than 50 officers on Monday.
The boy’s father was killed during a shootout with a homicide suspect in early May, CBS reported.
Rob Pitts was one of four officers who were fired on as they approached an apartment building on May 4.
The officers fired back and the 21-year-old suspect was injured and later declared dead.
Pitts was a 16-year veteran of the Terre Haute Police Department.
His five-year-old son has not been in class since his father was killed. His first day back to school was Monday.
Dakota Pitts had told his mother that he didn’t want to show up at school alone, according to CBS.
The youngster had asked her if he could have an escort, but the family had not expected so many officers to answer his call.
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“It’s a brotherhood,” said one officer, explaining why so many officers showed up without hesitation to escort the boy to school.
“It’s not like any other job you’re going to have,” Det. Les Hamm added.
“You form bonds you wouldn’t form in a different profession and when someone’s in need, we go — especially for a fallen officer and his kid.”
Dakota was given his own badge and a SWAT t-shirt when he arrived at the school in Sullivan, Ind.
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