Da’Quincy Pittman, 15, waits for his schedule on Feb. 24, 2020 his first day back to school since being shot six times in December 2019. “It just hits me sometimes,” he said. “It haunts me.”
Nicole Fama, principal of James and Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy, looks at one of Da’Quincy Pittman’s scars on the forearm doctors sliced open to dig out a bullet. Pittman endured five surgeries and weeks of rehab.
Da’Quincy Pittman is surrounded by Gwendolyn Hardiman, Nicole Fama and his mom Shirley Collins, from right to left. Hardiman is the school’s chief of staff and Fama is the principal.
An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police cruiser is parked outside the front entrance of James and Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy in Indianapolis. Cops are stationed at the school to improve police relations with the students and de-escalate situations when necessary.
Da’Quincy Pittman smiles while walking to class. He doesn’t want to leave Indianapolis, despite the violence. “I gotta stay,” he said. “Too much love, family here.”
Da’Quincy Pittman, right, and a classmate look at Pittman’s schedule to find his first class of the day. Pittman doesn’t always feel safe on the east side. “You gotta watch over your shoulder,” he said. “You gotta watch who you’re around.”
Da’Quincy Pittman copies down notes in geometry class. He learned how to find the volume of a sphere, 4/3πr^3 , before heading back to Fama’s office to rest. The nerves in his foot were aching, as they often do.
Da’Quincy Pittman, 15, eats his lunch in the nurse’s office on Feb. 24, 2020. Pittman went to the nurse’s office to rest after his first class.
Da’Quincy Pittman waits in a wheelchair for his mother to pick him up after his first day back. The wheelchair was a precaution because he still felt lightheaded after collapsing. “It was just like everything shutting down on me,” he said.
