Police union says ‘culture of lawlessness’ in America ‘must stop’ after 12 officers shot in a week

"Since Monday, at least 12 police officers have been shot," the statement read. "The spewing of anti-police rhetoric by some political and media figures as well as the failed policies of rogue prosecutors and judges are placing our officers in greater danger. This culture of lawlessness must stop!"

The week has seen a high amount of violence directed at law enforcement.

Three police officers were shot and two killed in Bristol, Connecticut on Wednesday around 11 pm after a 911 call reported a domestic violence incident between two brothers. Authorities suspect that the 911 call may have been phony in an attempt to lure and ambush the responding police.

35-year-old Sgt. Dustin Demonte and 34-year-old Alex Hamzy were identified as the slain police at a Thursday press conference by Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould. Alec Iurato, the third officer, is alive and has had surgery at a local hospital for a severe gunshot wound.

When three Philadelphia SWAT officers went to serve a murder warrant Wednesday morning, they ended up in the hospital with gunshot wounds. The incident occurred at approximately 6 am, when the officers were met with gunfire when serving the warrant to a home in North Philadelphia's West Poplar neighborhood.

A report from the National Fraternal Order of Police has revealed that as of July 31, 210 officers have been shot in the line of duty, with thirty-nine such attacks resulting in death in 2022. Numbers that are up 14 percent from last year, and 12 percent from 2020.

Of the shootings that have taken place so far this year, forty-six were reported to be "ambush-style," meaning they were "carried out with an element of surprise and intended to deprive officers of their ability to defend against the attack.