Bristol Police Officers killed in the line of duty:
JAMES MCNAMEE (1890-1930)
James McNamee was the first Bristol Police Officer
killed in the line of duty. He died Jan 16, 1930.
He was shot at the Ebb Filling Station at the corner of
Stafford Ave and Washington St while apprehending car thieves.
The building later became Ivy's Liquor Store which stood
for many years until demolished in 2001.
*The McNamee
Story..
More Details
JAMES BURNS (1893-1941)
James
Burns died in the line of duty on May 29, 1941
while responding to a domestic dispute at his sister's home.
His brother-in-law, Henry Cornetski, had been drinking heavily
and was firing off a gun. When Burns and backup officer Edward
O'Connor attempted to calm him down, Cornetski open fired upon
them both.
* The Burns Story..
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ERNEST SCHILKE (1921-1944)
Ernest Schilke died in the line of duty
on May 17, 1944. Responding to a gas
explosion that had killed a man, Schilke himself
was overcome by fumes. He was 22.
* The Schilke
Story..
More Details
DUSTIN DeMONTE (1987-2022)
ALEX HAMZY (1988-2022)
Details:
An ambush incident that is the department’s worst tragedy in its 129 year history. At 10:42pm on October 12, 2022, Sergeant Dustin DeMonte, Officer Alex Hamzy, and Officer Alec Iurato were called to a domestic dispute at the end of their shift at 310 Redstone Hill Road. The 911 call was believed to have been made by Nicholas Brutcher. It is believed the call was a deliberate act designed to lure officers to the home while Brutcher lay in wait to ambush them. He was clothed in camouflage outside the home in the conceal of darkness armed with an AR-15 rifle. This was presumably an act of retribution stemming from an earlier encounter that evening the Brutcher brothers had with police at Bleachers Bar on Middle St where one of them was charged/summonsed with creating a disturbance although details are still unclear as to specifics.
Events at the house: Officers arrive at the side door and encounter Nicholas’ brother Nathan, and order him to show his hands and step out. Just as Nathan Brutcher stepped outside, Nicholas Brutcher, now concealed in the yard open fired from behind the officers unloading over 80 rounds killing both Sergeant DeMonte and Officer Hamzy instantly and wounding Officer Iurato. Wounded by a gunshot to the leg, Iurato swiftly circled around the house as radioing in shots-fired-officers-down to Police HQ. He took up a cover position behind a parked police cruiser in the street. His vantage point provided him a view of the gunman. Iurato maintained steady composure and took aim to fire a single shot, fatally striking Nicholas Brutcher in the neck. Iurato’s actions at that crucial moment undoubtedly prevented the deaths of other responding officers now moments away and likely to himself. Maintaining such composure under extreme duress then accurately firing a single shot at night is truly heroic and beyond textbook.Stunning footage from Iurato’s bodycam can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv5Q8WNpVfk
26-year-old Officer Alec Iurato was transported from the scene to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford for surgery. The surgery was successful and he was discharged the following day.The disposition of Nathan Brutcher has not been officially released as of the time of this writing. He was reported to have been wounded by a gunshot with no further details. DeMonte, age 35, was a 10 year veteran of the department. Hamzy, age 34, was an 8 year veteran. They each had profound devotion to career and family.
On October 21, 2022 at a heavily attended funeral held at Pratt &
Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford both slain officers were
promoted posthumously by Chief Gould in a heartfelt address. Sgt DeMonte was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant; Officer Hamzy was promoted to the rank of
Sergeant. A most befitting honor and the first of its kind in the department.
Their badges were then presented to the families by Chief Gould.To allow all
Bristol officers to attend the funeral the State Police covered calls for
service for Bristol throughout that time. The four hour long funeral drew
massive crowds filling much of Rentschler Field. The DeMonte procession from
North Haven and the Hamzy procession from Terryville had CT highway lanes closed
off to allow for unobstructed funeral traffic to the field. Law enforcement
officers arrived in huge numbers from all over the northeast and as far away as
the west coast and Canada as well as many thousands of civilians. It likely set
a record for the largest law enforcement funeral in Connecticut’s history. A
very sad and difficult day was guided by the compassionate and proud words
spoken by Chief Brian Gould as he presided over the grieving crowd with grace
and strength giving comfort to the families and brother officers alike.
The sadness and grieving in the community is near tangible. In Bristol especially, and surrounding communities the city lights up blue at night in a show of solidarity “backing the blue”. Thousands of homes displaying blue bulbs on porch lights and lamp posts. Outside the PD a cruiser sits on the front steps as a memorial covered with flowers and cards from a grateful grief-stricken public. The car itself became buried deep in adornments and barely visible. Multiple fundraising events for the families have taken place by various businesses and individuals local and afar. Bristol’s saddest days are given hope by a grateful and caring community coming together in a common bond.
Seen below, the night skies over Bristol photographed by a JetBlue pilot
Bristol Police honor fallen officers in Washington DC
RWV (1996-2022)