BRISTOL, Conn. — Thursday marks one year since the sudden and tragic loss of Bristol police Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy.
On Oct. 12, 2022, DeMonte, Hamzy, and a third officer, Alec Iurato, esponded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute between two brothers, Nicholas and Nathan Brutcher. When the three officers arrived, DeMonte and Hamzy were ambushed by Nicholas Brutcher. DeMonte and Hamzy were shot and killed, while an injured Iurato managed to escape the ambush before shooting and killing Nicholas Brutcher.
DeMonte joined the Bristol police force in 2012. He was also a school resource officer at Greene-Hills and West Bristol Schools and an advisor for the Bristol Police Explorer Cadet Program.
Hamzy, born and raised in Bristol, was hired in 2014 and also served as a patrol officer and an advisor for the cadet program. Hamzy would also serve on the Central Region Emergency Response Team (CR-ERT).
Community response
In the days that followed the ambush, the community response was overwhelming; they lit up the town blue and swiftly established fundraisers to help the families of DeMonte and Hamzy.
A memorial in front of the Bristol Police Department was crowded with flowers, pumpkins and flags to remember the two fallen officers and to thank them for their service in the community.
The Fund The First campaign that garnered monetary donations to help the families of DeMonte and Hamzy exceeded its $1 million goal and raised $1.1 million in about a year. The Bristol Police Union also established the Bristol Police Heroes Fund, where donations for the families were also made.
Local businesses like DK Movement and Baribault Jewelers donated proceeds from sales to these fundraisers. Barstool Sports even raised $100K in clothing sales, with all proceeds going to the fallen officers' families.
Tunnels to Towers helped pay off a home mortgage for the DeMonte family.
Proceeds from a community raffle fundraiser went toward the Bristol Police Department K9 fund in honor of Officer Alec Iurato.
Major sports events paused before the games began to honor the two fallen officers.
The New York Yankees game against the Cleveland Guardians did not start until after a moment of silence with the two officers' photos on the big screen. The New England Patriots also honored the fallen officers with a moment of silence before a game. The Maimi Dolphins hung a jersey with DeMonte's name on it in the locker room of Hard Rock Stadium during a game DeMonte was otherwise planning to attend that weekend.
First responders from all over the country came to East Hartford and filled Rentschler Stadium in a large-scale celebration of life for the two officers before being laid to rest.
During the joint funeral services, family members shared memories and said final goodbyes to DeMonte and Hamzy. The two fallen officers were also officially posthumously promoted during the service, with Dustin DeMonte now a Lt. and Alex Hamzy now a Sgt.
Forever remembered
DeMonte and Hamzy's names were the 149th and 150th added to the police memorial in October 2022, which stands at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden.
Iurato won the National Officer of the Month award in January 2023, who said at the time that it was a "great honor," and that "it's not where we would like to be, but we believe because of what happened, everyone can understand what officers are going through around the nation."
The Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy Public Safety Scholarship Fund was established thanks to the Bristol Police Department and Board of Education. Each year, two scholarships will be given to seniors at Bristol Central High School and Bristol Eastern High School who will be pursuing a major in public safety and/or criminal justice through post-secondary education at a community college, state college, or a private college/university.
The DeMonte family continues to grow as Laura DeMonte, wife of the late Dustin DeMonte, gave birth to the pair's third child in March 2023. Penelope Dustin-Ann was greeted by the Bristol Police Dept. as she and mom left the hospital.
In April 2023, the two fallen officers were honored with their names added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial.
Over 11 months after the ambush and recovering from injuries sustained, Officer Alec Iurato returned to work in the training division.
To mark one year since the tragedy, the Bristol Police Department and the community will be holding a vigil in front of police headquarters. Alex Hamzy's cousin is also raising funds by selling luminaries to once again light up homes in Bristol in remembrance.
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