Man who killed 2 Connecticut officers likely fueled by a prior interaction with police, report says

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – A shocking revelation from the Connecticut Inspector General’s report: the brutal ambush that killed two police officers in Bristol was fueled by a toxic mix of prior confrontations, personal turmoil, and substance abuse.

On October 12, 2022, Nicholas Brutcher’s downward spiral culminated in a false 911 call, leading officers DeMonte, Hamzy, and Iurato to his doorstep.

As they approached, Brutcher lay in wait, firing an AR-15 style rifle from the bushes, striking all three. He then stood over the fallen officers, unleashing a hail of bullets in front of his horrified parents, Joseph and Catrina Brutcher.

“How proud are you of me? How proud?” he taunted, possibly addressing his parents. The report emphasizes that Brutcher alone bears responsibility for the heinous attack, which left a community reeling in grief and shock.