Two police officers who were shot dead in Bristol, Ct., had apparently been drawn into an ambush by an emergency call about possible domestic violence. A third officer was wounded in the gunfire. State police said that the 911 call Wednesday night about a dispute between two siblings appears to have been “a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene,” according to the ssociated Press. Bristol Police Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy were killed. Officer Alec Iurato was injured. Police said the suspect, Nicholas Brutcher, 35, was shot dead, and his brother Nathan Brutcher was wounded. Neighbor Danny Rodriguez said he was outside his home across the street when the gunfire rang out. “I heard a whole war going on behind me,” he said. “It was so loud and crazy.” At one point, he said, a woman screamed, “You ... killed them!” The deadly encounter came during a week when at least 11 police officers have been shot around the U.S.
Connecticut state police said they were still working to answer many questions that remained about the confrontation. State Police Sgt. Christine Jeltema said that when officers answered the call at 10:30 p.m., they encountered someone outside the house, and shots were fired. Neighbors said they heard two or three sets of gunshots, about 30 in all. Schalitda Strong, who lives diagonally across the street from the shooting, said she ducked into her room “because it sounded so close.” “They thought they were going somewhere to give help, and their lives were needlessly taken," said Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould at a vigil Thursday evening. Gov. Ned Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz joined the crowd that packed a high school auditorium to pay respects. Demonte, 35, was a 10-year veteran officer and co-recipient of his department’s 2019 Officer of the Year award. He and his wife were expecting their third child. Hamzy, 34, received many letters of commendation during his eight years on his hometown police force. Like Demonte, Hamzy was an advisor to a police cadet program.