Bristol Police are expressing their thanks to the community for the support during this difficult time.
“This is just unbelievable. Never thought this was ever going to happen in Bristol,” resident Shannon Rogers said.
Community members stopped by Bristol Police headquarters to pay tribute to two fallen officers.
“It’s just absolutely amazing to see all this and all the support,” Rogers said.
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From a makeshift memorial to a vigil last week, the response to the deadly ambush has been overwhelming.
“It’s awful that it took a tragedy to bring us closer, but it’s been really amazing to see,” said Bristol Police Officer Conor Hogan.
“It’s obviously a rough time for us. We’re doing our best to find things to focus on, whether it’s coming back to work and helping out the city and patrolling or preparing for the funeral or getting the word out for the fundraisers," he continued.
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Hogan took time on Monday to share his memories of Sergeant Dustin DeMonte.
"He was the life of a party. He was the best dancer I’ve ever met. He had moves that I can’t describe," Hogan said. “He was just a great guy, great father."
And he spoke about Officer Alex Hamzy.
“He was funny. He would take the shirt off his back for anybody,” Hogan said. "He was a hard worker. Basically the kind of guy that you would want to be around.”
Hogan said the department lost two of their best last week.
And they could have lost many more if not for Officer Alec Iurato, who despite being wounded himself, fired a single shot that took out the suspect.
“Hero is not a big enough word for him. He’s a superhero,” Hogan said. "[He's] 26-years old and to do what he did under the pressure that he was under and how he has handled it since. He is one of my good friends. I’ve never met anybody like him before."
"Had he [Iurato] not acted the way he did, calm under pressure and executed an impossible shot, we would have lost a whole shift, there’s no doubt about it," he continued.
For now, police are focused on getting back to patrolling the city and planning a ceremony for their fallen brothers later this week. And they want to make sure their families are taken care of, as an online fundraiser tops more than $200,000 as of Monday night and keeps growing.
“They are going to have to go through birthdays and Christmases and Father Days without the people that should be there with them and we’re going to do our best to be there for them with money and whatever else they need,” Hogan said.
Calling hours for Hamzy will be from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Lyceum Banquet Hall in Terryville. Anyone who wants to attend should park at the Terryville Fairgrounds on Town Hill Road. From there, attendees will be bused to and from the banquet hall.
