BATON ROUGE - A non-profit organization has paid off a mortgage for the family of a local police officer who was killed in the line of duty last year.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation held a small ceremony at officer Glenn Hutto Jr.'s family home Thursday to make the gift official.

Hutto was gunned down in April while he and another officer were attempting to arrest a murder suspect in Baton Rouge. The gunman, Ronnie Kato, was later taken into custody after a standoff with police.

Hutto is survived by his wife and their four daughters.

Tunnel to Towers helped 36 families over the 2020 holiday season by providing mortgage-free-homes, mortgage-free Smart Homes, or paying off mortgages held on homes. You can read more on the foundation's efforts here. 

Former State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson now works closely with Tunnel to Towers. He issued the following statement.

"I am extremely proud, honored, and blessed to represent and be a part of Tunnel 2TOWERS Foundation. I share and admire their passion for our First Responders and the Military. I look forward to increasing their presence in Louisiana and where I can around the country.

Lt. Hutto was a very good man and Baton Rouge Police Officer. His standards were above and beyond. After visiting and meeting his wife and four wonderful girls today it was evident of the love they each shared for family and life. I assured Them that their dad would never be forgotten. I asked them to honor him with their actions.

This gift from the Foundation  was something very much appreciated by the family.”