Hundreds at vigil honor slain Terre Haute police officer

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Terre Haute for a prayer vigil honoring a city police officer killed in a shootout with a homicide suspect.

The vigil Saturday evening outside the Vigo County Courthouse came hours after many people lined the city streets as a hearse took Rob Pitts' body from a hospital to a funeral home. Officials say Pitts was among four officers who were fired upon Friday night when confronting the suspect, who died after barricading himself inside an apartment.

Jeanie West says she's a former neighbor of Pitts and that he had a "heart of gold."

His services will begin with public calling hours 2-7 p.m. Tuesday at Indiana State University's Hulman Center. The funeral is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the arena.