Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy Two Connecticut police officers fatally shot, one injured in Bristol

Authorities reported that when two Connecticut police officers were shot in Bristol on Wednesday night while responding to a complaint of a fight between two brothers, one of them was gravely injured and two others were killed. Sgt. Dustin Demonte, 35, and Officer Alex Hamzy, 34, of the Connecticut State Police were fatally shot while responding to a residence on Redstone Hill Road just before 11 p.m., Sgt. Christine Jeltema reported on Thursday. When they arrived, one suspect was already standing outside. “Shots were fired, fatally wounding one officer at the scene,” Jeltema told reporters. Officer Alec Iurato, 26, was critically hurt, and a second officer was declared dead at the hospital. According to Jeltema, shots were also fired at the male suspect, whose brother was also injured. The brother was taken to a local hospital, while the suspect was pronounced dead at the spot. It is uncertain how he is doing. “Words cannot express the sadness and grief that brings me before you this morning,” Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould told reporters. Gould lamented the loss of “two exceptional police officers” to “senseless violence.” Demonte, in particular, was a 2019 co-recipient for Officer of the Year. He leaves behind his wife, Laura, who is pregnant, and two children. Hamzy was a native of Bristol who graduated from Bristol Eastern High School in 2006. He is survived by his wife, Katie, his parents, and two sisters. The police chief said Iurato remains in recovery following surgery for a serious gunshot wound. “[Bristol PD] is privileged and honored to serve on the front lines protecting the community. That’s what these heroes did last night,” Gould said. “We need your support, we need your thoughts, we need your prayers.” Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano also spoke briefly, saying that the city’s hearts “are broken” for the “hero officers.” Jeltema held back tears at the end of the press conference, asking the public to “please be patient” during the “very complex” investigation. Earlier on Thursday, Gov. Ned Lamont called the shooting “senseless.” “This is a senseless tragedy, and my prayers are with their families, loved ones, and fellow officers. I also ask the residents of CT to keep in their prayers a third officer who was shot and is currently in the hospital with serious injuries,” he said on Twitter.

I am directing flags in Connecticut lowered to half-staff effective immediately in honor of two @BristolCTPolice officers who were killed in the line of duty late last night while responding to an emergency call of domestic violence at a private residence in the town. (1/4)

— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) October 13, 2022

“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 state.” The governor added that flags in Connecticut will be lowered to half-staff effective immediately in honor of the slain cops. State Sen. Henri Martin, a Republican from Bristol, also released a statement on the shooting. “Words cannot sum up our sadness and emotions,” he wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our Bristol Police Department, their families, and our entire law enforcement community.” A police procession featuring officers from around Connecticut accompanied the fallen officers from Bristol Hospital to the medical examiner’s office in Farmington early Thursday. A shaken eyewitness, who described Bristol as a “peaceful town,” said the rapid gunfire was frightening. “We just, like, hearing the gunshots like ‘pop pop pop pop pop pop’ up and stop, and then stop for maybe 30 seconds and then another round ‘pop pop pop pop pop’ and then it just stopped. And then [we] started hearing sirens and everything else,” Ted Krawiec told the channel. “It’s scary, especially Bristol is a peaceful town and it’s scary to hear something like this is happening here,” he added. Nearby resident Robyn Lauzon described the scene as a “war zone.” “It was horrible. I heard three rounds of nine or 10 gunshots each,” she said, the Middletown Press reported. “It was scary as hell — and the sirens were crazy. It was like a war zone.” A Connecticut State Police officer told The Post early Thursday that the agency was asked to assist the Bristol Police Department. The fatal shooting comes less than a week after a New Haven cop was shot and wounded while investigating a traffic accident, the Connecticut Post reported. Officer Chad Curry was shot in the ear and shoulder about 1:30 a.m. Friday and was later released from a hospital, according to the news outlet. The suspected gunman, Jose Claudio, was later caught.