Bristol

Benefit Rides Raise Money for Bristol Police

NBC Connecticut

A strong show of support rolled through several communities on Sunday.

Hundreds of riders paid tribute to two fallen heroes from Bristol Police Department.

“This is what we do as bikers. We’re very charitable and we always give back to the community,” said Dee Ferro from Yankee Harley-Davidson.

And in the process, they helped to raise nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the families of the officers.

 “It's a horrible tragedy what happened to these young men and we are just here to show our support," said Patrick Lillis, of Madison.

Among those honoring Lieutenant Dustin DeMonte and Sergeant Alex Hamzy were some 700 riders and drivers who took off from Farmington.

It was organized by The Hometown Foundation to benefit those officers’ families and had raised more than $200,000.

“Nothing is going to replace that hole that they now have in their lives, but if any of it could be a little bit easier because of this we are happy that we could have a small part in it,” said Jenn McCulloch from The Hometown Foundation.

 Around the same time, the roar from some 1,000 riders could be heard as they kicked off in Bristol.

“It was something that just hit all of us close to home,” said Aly Downey-Crespo, Yankee Harley-Davidson’s event coordinator.

Yankee Harley-Davidson organized this 1st poker run to also benefit the officers’ families.

They were still counting the donations, which had already passed $26,000 for the Bristol Police Heroes Fund.

“It was something really important for us to show our support and do what we can on our platform to provide back and give back to our Bristol community,” said Downey-Crespo.

Many also showing their appreciation and to raise funds for Officer Alec Iurato. who after being hit in the leg ended the deadly ambush by taking out the suspect with a single shot.

"We just want him to know that the community is behind him," said McCulloch.

There are many fundraisers for Bristol Police. An online one on Fund the First has reached over a half-million dollars.

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