Three police officers were shot in an apparent ambush-style attack involving a fake 911 call reporting a disturbance at a private home in Connecticut, killing two of them and seriously wounding the other, law enforcement sources said. Rana Novini has the latest.
Three police officers were shot in an apparent ambush-style attack involving a fake 911 call reporting a disturbance at a private home in Connecticut, killing two of them, law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the case say.
The third officer underwent surgery for his gunshot wound and was later released from the hospital.
The gunfire in Bristol erupted in a residential area on Redstone Hill Road around 11 p.m. Wednesday, though the law enforcement sources say the incident started earlier when officers responded to a disorderly patron at an unspecified location. Bristol cops responded to the scene and issued the individual, who had been removed by staff, a summons.
At that point, sources say the suspect returned to his home, armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle and made the bogus 911 call.
Connecticut State Police said in an early afternoon update that "preliminary information appears to point to the 911 call being a deliberate act to lure enforcement to the scene."
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Officials say the officers were met with gunfire as soon as they responded, set upon by a shooter outside the home. The suspect was shot dead, though it wasn't clear if the fatal wound was self-inflicted or delivered by the responding officers who ended up shot.
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He was later identified as 35-year-old Nicholas Brutcher. His brother, 32-year-old Nathan Brutcher, was also shot and taken to a hospital. His condition wasn't immediately known.
The incident has been described as isolated and police assured the public there was no ongoing threat.
Police in Bristol, a suburban city in Hartford County about 20 miles southwest of the capital and 100 miles northeast of New York City, identified the slain officers at a press conference as Sgt. Dustin Demonte, a father of two with a baby on the way, and officer Alex Hamzy with their department.
Hamzy was pronounced dead at the Redstone Hill Road scene. Demonte died at a hospital.
The surviving officer has been identified as Alec Iurato.
"Words cannot express the sadness and grief that brings me before you this morning," Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould said. "We lost two exceptional Bristol police officers and a third was seriously injured as a result of senseless violence."
A sprawling, multi-agency law enforcement presence was evident at the scene through the night.
Connecticut State Police tweeted developments as the situation unfolded, announcing a police-involved shooting, then saying three officers had been shot -- and finally, that two of them had been killed.
Connecticut State Police said a procession was held early Thursday to take the officers' bodies from the hospital to the medical examiner's office in Farmington.
Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all flags lowered to half-staff in honor of the killed officers. The Democrat called their line-of-duty deaths a "senseless tragedy," saying, "My prayers are with their families, loved ones and fellow officers."
"I also ask the residents of Connecticut to keep in their prayers a third officer who was shot while responding to this emergency and is currently in the hospital with serious injuries," the Democrat said. "This is a devastating reminder of the dangers that police officers face every day to protect our families and neighbors from all kinds of situations.
"These officers are heroes and will always be remembered for the honorable service they provided to their town and their state," Lamont added. "This continues to be an active situation, and I’ve directed DESPP Commissioner James Rovella and the Connecticut State Police to support the Bristol Police Department and greater community in every way they can."
An investigation by the state attorney general's office and Connecticut State Police is ongoing.
"Today is a tragic day for our state, for the Bristol community, and for the families of Sgt. Demonte and Officer Hamzy who died as heroes responding bravely to the most dangerous and volatile of emergency calls," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. "We must do all we can to support Officer Iurato and his family as he faces serious injuries from this senseless shooting.
"Today, we must honor the service and sacrifice of every first responder waking up to this terrible news, yet still putting on the uniform to keep our families and communities safe," Tong added. "We must come together as a state to support these heroes and their families, today and every day."
Who Are the Connecticut Officers Shot in Bristol?
Demonte was hired by the Bristol police department in 2012 and was assigned to the patrol division. He worked as a school resource officer and cadet program adviser and earned multiple honors, including a silver star and co-receiving the officer of the year award. The 35-year-old police sergeant is survived by his wife, Laura, and two children.
Police say he had another baby on the way.
Hamzy joined the Bristol force in 2014 and was also assigned to patrol. Raised in Bristol, Hamzy graduated from Bristol East High School in 2006. In his police career, he was assigned to the emergency response team and also advised cadets. The 34-year-old Hamzy is survived by his wife, Katie, his parents and two sisters, officials said.
The surviving officer, Iurato, was assigned to patrol after joining the Bristol department in 2018. The 26-year-old is a member of the emergency response team and holds a bachelor's degree in government law and national security.
Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano mourned the two officers as he stood by their colleagues Thursday morning.
"Today our hearts are broken, united in immeasurable grief," Caggiano said. "We pray for them. Bristol and the entire nation need to wrap our arms around them and our own loved ones."
