By Christine Dempsey
The Middletown Press
BRISTOL, Conn. — Wounded Officer Alec Iurato, who fatally shot a man who authorities say unleashed a barrage of gunfire and killed two fellow officers last year, has returned to work, Police Chief Brian Gould said.
“I can confirm that Officer Iurato has returned to work and is currently assigned to our Training Division getting acclimated,” Gould said Wednesday.
Iurato was shot in the leg on the night of Oct. 12 when he, Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy were ambushed as they responded to a Redstone Hill Road home. They had received a report of a possible domestic dispute between Nicholas Brutcher and his brother, Nathan, according to the Connecticut State Police.
Wielding what has been described as a high-powered rifle, Nicholas Brutcher opened fire on the officers from behind as they stood outside his home’s side door, firing more than 80 rounds, according to state Inspector General Robert Devlin Jr.
Body-worn footage shows Iurato standing behind a tree as Brutcher fired one shot. Iurato began retreating toward a patrol car for cover, and more than 20 rounds were fired in rapid succession.
Iurato then shot and killed Brutcher with a single shot from his handgun.
The officer was taken to Saint Francis Hospital for treatment and discharged less than 24 hours later. Nathan Brutcher also was wounded in the shooting, according to state police.
Devlin ruled in a preliminary report released days after the ambush that Iurato was justified in using deadly force.
Within a week of the deadly ambush, Bristol police posthumously promoted DeMonte to lieutenant and Hamzy to sergeant.
In January, the National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame announced that Iurato had been chosen for its Courage in Service Award.
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