The NBC affiliate in Bristol, Connecticut recently covered a story on police officer Alec Iurato, who was presented with a replica WWE Title belt.
The report notes that Iurato was injured in a recent shooting that killed two Bristol police officers. During the shootout, Iurato returned fired and killed the suspect with a single shot.
State police have said Iurato fatally shot Nicholas Brutcher, 35, who had killed Sgt. Dustin DeMonte, 35, and Officer Alex Hamzy, 34, after the officers were lured to the house by an apparent hoax call.
Despite being struck in the leg during the shooting, Iurato managed to seek cover behind a police cruiser before firing a single shot that killed Nicholas Brutcher, the footage shows.
“Although some details of the investigation remain to be determined, it is evident from the evidence collected so far that Officer Iurato’s use of deadly force was justified,” Inspector General Robert Devlin said in a press release.
The suspect’s younger brother, Nathan Brutcher, 32, was also wounded and taken to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. It remains unknown who shot the younger Brutcher, how he was involved in the ambush and his condition.
According to Devlin, the three officers responded to the Redstone Hill Road home at 10:42 p.m. after police dispatchers received a 911 call now-believed to have been made by Nicholas Brutcher.
Devlin said evidence gathered during the early stages of the investigation shows the officers went to the side door of the house and spoke to Nathan Brutcher before ordering him to show his hands and step out of the house.
“As Nathan Brutcher stepped out, gunfire erupted,” Devlin said. “Nicholas Brutcher fired well over 80 rounds attacking the officers from behind, fatally shooting both Sgt. DeMonte and Officer Hamzy, and wounding Officer Iurato.”
Autopsies revealed that DeMonte and Hamzy were each killed by gunshot wounds to the head and torso, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Friday, ruling their deaths as homicides.
The body-worn footage shows Iurato radioing for backup shortly before Nicholas Brutcher fires a hail of bullets in a direction that is not clear. It is also unclear what weapon Brutcher used in the attack. Photos from his public Facebook page show him posing with several firearms, including handguns and various long guns.
“Shots fired, shots fired,” Iurato said, according to the recording. “More cars, send everyone”
Sonya Deville, Liv Morgan, and Braun Strowman all presented Iurato with the title, which you can see below:
