Doughnut sale helps support families of slain officers

CORALVILLE — Kyle Howard can't make doughnuts fast enough.

But if you want one of Hurts Donut Co.'s 'Thin Blue Line' pastries, you might have to wait patiently.

Hurts Donut, 1301 Fifth St. in Coralville, is selling the special doughnuts to honor Des Moines police officer Tony Beminio and Urbandale police officer Justin Martin, who were gunned down early Wednesday morning while on duty in what authorities are calling an 'ambush-style' attack.

All of the money raised from the sale of the $3 'Thin Blue Line' doughnuts — as well as money being collected in a donation box at the counter — is being donated to a fund set up to help the officers' families at the Des Moines Police Officers Credit Union.

Howard, who co-owns the shop, said roughly 4,700 'Thin Blue Line' doughnuts had already been sold by Wednesday afternoon and more than $14,000 had been raised.

The fundraiser continues through noon today.

Long lines have been common during the promotion, with some waiting as long as an hour, Howard said.

'They want to buy as many as they can. Most customers are saying they're going to take them to police departments around here,' he added.

Brian Utter, a deputy sheriff at the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office, planned to do just that. He drove roughly 40 miles from Durant on Thursday to pick up two dozen doughnuts to take back to his fellow officers.

He said Wednesday's police killings hit 'too close to home.'

'The tragedy that's occurred to these families, they can never be replaced, but this is a nice gesture,' Utter said.

Police say Beminio, a 1996 Iowa City West High graduate, and Martin were shot and killed early Wednesday morning while in their patrol cars. Scott Michael Greene of Urbandale was arrested in connection with the shooting around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder, according to a report by the Des Moines Register. He was taken to jail in the handcuffs of the fallen officers, the Register reported. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Howard said simply making doughnuts has always been Hurts Donut's way of lending a hand. And, he said doughnuts are a good way to show support for the law enforcement community.

'It was a devastating loss for both those police departments. We ask them to protect us,' Howard said. 'I think it's important that we show them support when they need it.'

The 'Thin Blue Line' doughnuts are decorated in dark frosting with a stripe of blue. A thin blue line is a symbol to show support for law enforcement and commemorate police officers who have died.

Employees have been posting fundraising updates on the shop's Facebook page with photos and wait times. The shop is open 24 hours a day.

'People get really excited about it,' Howard said. 'There's been a ton of people in here who've said they're going to take them all over Eastern Iowa and Central Iowa.'