Two police officers killed, one seriously injured in ‘ambush’ shooting in Bristol

Two police officers were fatally shot and one was seriously injured during what police called an ambush following a 911 report of a domestic incident in Bristol late Wednesday night.

Sgt. Dustin DeMonte, 35, and officer Alex Hamzy, 34, were killed in the shooting, according to officials. Officer Alec Iurato, 26, was severely injured.

Bristol police responded to 310 Redstone Hill Rd. for a reported possible domestic violence incident between two siblings before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Sgt. Christine Jeltema of the Connecticut State Police.

When officers arrived, one suspect, identified as Nicholas Brutcher, 35, was outside of the residence with what witnesses were calling a semi-automatic weapon and shots were fired, fatally wounding Hamzy on the scene, while two other officers were also shot. DeMonte was taken to Bristol Hospital, where he died. Iurato was transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford where he underwent surgery, according to the state police and Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould.

Brutcher died from a gunshot wound at the scene. The suspect’s brother, Nathan Brutcher, 32, was also shot and was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his wounds, according to the state police.

Preliminary information appears to point to the 911 call being a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene, according to the state police.

Nearly every member of the Bristol Police Department walked down Redstone Hill Road Thursday morning — some stoically, some wiping away tears — following a black vehicle that carried the remains of Hamzy. Lining the length of Emmett Street, officers from nearly every law enforcement agency in the state gathered for the procession.

“Today, our hearts are broken. We are united in immeasurable grief for those hero officers, for their families, and friends and for our all of our law enforcement personnel. Bristol and the entire nation needs to wrap our arms around them as well as our own loved ones,” said Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano.

Earlier, a large police procession with officers from around the state escorted DeMonte from Bristol Hospital to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington.

Iurato has since been released from the hospital where he was greeted by Bristol officers who planned to escort him home.

“He’s coming home,” Gould said on Thursday morning.

DeMonte is survived by his wife, two children, parents and two siblings. He has a third child on the way, Gould said.

He won several awards in over 10 years with the department, including the Officer of the Year in 2019 and the Silver Star, Gould said. He was a school resource officer at Green Hills and West Bristol schools.

He graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in criminology and a minor in psychology, Gould said.

Hamzy was born and raised in Bristol and graduated from Bristol Eastern High School. He spent eight years with the Bristol Police Department. He was a patrol officer and received “numerous” recognitions in his time with the department, Gould said.

He is survived by his wife, parents and two sisters.

Iurato is a member of the department’s central region emergency response team, Gould said. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in government, law and national security.

“Our community has been rocked, our police department has been rocked,” Gould said earlier Thursday morning.

Gould said that the three officers that were shot were the embodiment of ideal police officers. All three absolutely loved policing, their families and the Bristol community.

“Our men and women of the Bristol Police Department are privileged and honored to serve on the front lines, protecting and serving the community of Bristol. That’s what these heroes did last night. They answered a call to duty and they responded without hesitation. And that’s what they did every night before that,” said Gould.

Bristol residents left flowers, candles and balloons with messages in memory of the officers written in black ink around a police cruiser parked outside the Bristol Police Station Thursday.

Anthony Rodriguez, a neighbor who lives in the apartment complex across the street from the scene, said that he was standing outside when he heard a neighbor across the street, now identified as Nicholas Brutcher, fighting with his brother.

Rodriguez alleged that he heard Nicholas Brutcher — who he described as a normal, family man — tell his brother he was going “to go shoot up” a local bar.

Nicholas Brutcher, Rodriguez alleged, was dressed in army fatigues and holding a large rifle with a high-capacity magazine attached to it.

His brother told him he wouldn’t let him do that and tried to hold him down, but Nicholas Brutcher shot him, he alleged.

Rodriguez said he then watched Nicholas Brutcher sit down on the steps outside of his house. When the first police vehicle pulled up, Nicholas Brutcher fired as soon as the officer opened the door. The glass shattered on the window and the door was left open.

”He ambushed them, they didn’t even have a chance,” he said.

About 11 a.m. on Thursday, Ian Dunn hung his head outside the window of his apartment near the scene as he watched officers from nearly every law enforcement agency in the state line up on Redstone Hill Road to pay their respects to the fallen officers.

Dunn was inside a basement-level apartment less than a block away from the shooting watching TV with his girlfriend when they heard what sounded like 10 loud pops, he said. At first, they thought maybe the sound was a car backfiring.

”But then we heard the second round and that’s when we threw ourselves on the ground,” he said.

The couple lay on the ground in the apartment for about five minutes, he said. ”That’s when everyone started showing up. We heard the sirens and saw the lights.”

The couple ran around the apartment locking doors to keep themselves safe, he said. Once officers were on the scene, Dunn said that “it was eerily quiet.”

”We could tell something bad happened,” he said.

At least a few times, they heard officers say: “Where is he?”

Dunn said that the scariest part was not knowing whether or not a shooter was on the loose in their neighborhood.

Ashley Salls, who works at a Dunkin’ Donuts on Middle Street in Bristol, brought doughnuts to officers on the scene. She said that Hamzy often stopped into the store for coffee.

”He was a regular,” she said.

Salls said that recently, after a string of robberies in Bristol, she was sitting in her car warming up after a late-night shift and Hamzy came up to check on her and make sure she was OK. She’ll always remember that act of kindness, she said.

Gov. Ned Lamont directed flags to half-staff in honor to honor the fallen officers, calling it a senseless tragedy.

“My prayers are with their families, loved ones, and fellow officers,” Lamont said. “I also ask the residents of Connecticut to keep in their prayers a third officer who was shot while responding to this emergency. ... 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 said he learned about the shooting in a late-night text message from state public safety Commissioner James Rovella while he was asleep.

In a time of mourning, he called Thursday for a renewed understanding of the sacrifices of law enforcement.

“I hope people have a strengthened appreciation for what our police do,” Lamont told reporters in Southington. “I hope when you see your policeman and policewoman on the street corner, you go up and say, ‘Thank you for what you do.’ … And I hope you remember that every day, they’re putting their lives on the line to keep you safe.”

Lamont said he could not confirm that there had been an attempt to lure police officers to the home in an ambush.

“There’s been some hearsay to that effect, but rather than speculate, let’s let the investigation go forward,” Lamont said.

Lamont declined to talk in detail about any potential response in changing any laws.

“There are too many guns out there, too many illegal guns,” he said.

He added, “Sometimes when there’s alcohol and guns, that’s a pretty bad combination. What we can do, I think, is strengthen our police force, strengthen community policing, get more cops on the beat, and make sure that people know justice is right around the corner.”

Bristol Senator Henri Martin, R-Bristol, said in a statement: “This is heartbreaking. Words cannot sum up our sadness and emotions. Our thoughts and prayers are with our Bristol Police Department, their families, and our entire law enforcement community. We will continue to pray for them all.”

Bristol Superintendent of Schools Catherine M. Carbone said in a letter to families, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of this morning from Bristol. Three Bristol police officers were shot overnight, two fatally, after responding to a call for assistance.

“As the details of this tragedy emerge, we will stand together in support of each other and our community at large. Over the coming hours and days, we will provide you with updates and additional information as it becomes available,” she said. “We offer our heartfelt thoughts and condolences to the victims’ families and friends and the entire Bristol Police Department during this very difficult time.”

Carbone said the district crisis team will continue to monitor the situation and support all students and staff.

State police said this is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community.

“Please keep the Bristol Police Department and their families in your thoughts and in your prayers. And of the law enforcement officers that serve this great state.” Jeltema said.

Connecticut U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said the news of the deaths of the officers and injury was “devastating” and “another tragic reminder of the potential danger that law enforcement officers face every day in their service to our communities.

“I am praying for these officers and their families and loved ones, and every member of the Bristol Police Department and the Bristol community will remain in my thoughts,” she said. “Our office and our federal agency partners will support the Bristol Police and Connecticut State Police in any way we can.”

The incident is under investigation and the Connecticut State Police and municipal police agencies are offering mutual aid to Bristol Police.

“Residents may see neighboring agencies covering patrol functions as the Bristol Police Department begins to process this extraordinary loss,” said the state police.

Information from Courant reporters Taylor Hartz and Christopher Keating were used in this report.