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NORTON - The town's police officers knew things would be hectic when they arrived at work on the last Monday morning in August, a month and a half ago, with the annual Deutsche Bank Championship tournament set to start.

But then the day took a tragic turn.

At 9:15, Norton police were called to 384 Reservoir St., the home of Elizabeth Cann, a 44-year-old single mother with three daughters, Amanda, 17, Danielle, 15, and Brittany, 12.

There, officers found a grisly scene. At the back door, was the family dog, shot to death. Upstairs, they found Beth Cann dead and her two younger daughters gravely wounded. All three had been shot by Cann's estranged ex-boyfriend, who had killed himself earlier that morning.

It was one of the worst crime scenes that the officers, most of them law enforcement veterans, had ever witnessed. And the crime had taken place right in the heart of Norton - their town. The shooting, and the victims, stayed on their minds. While on duty at the TPC the next night, Todd Bramwell, one of the squad's detectives, suggested that the police unions organize a charitable golf tournament similar to the ones the police had done annually until two years ago, this time to benefit the two Cann sisters.

Although it was unclear then whether the pair would survive, it was apparent they faced a long recovery if they did.

The fact that children were targeted hit especially hard, Bramwell said, because so many of the policemen are fathers, themselves.

On Monday, exactly six weeks after the shooting, Bramwell and many of his fellow policemen were among almost 150 golfers playing on the Norton Country Club golf course under gray autumn skies as part of the officer's Columbus Day tournament for the Canns.

The club donated the golf course for the day, while other donations came from Dunkin' Donuts, Plainville's J Masse Sign, and a host of others. Many of the donations were auctioned off in a raffle that was also part of the tournament.

By all accounts, the tournament was a huge success. There were 36 foursomes playing on Monday, with players contributing $125 each, but Patrolman Marc Robichaud said organizers were forced to turn away at least a dozen more - or almost 50 additional golfers - due to space constraints.

"I think it's important that police departments and its guys are leaders and support the community," Bramwell said. "It's important to us and to the town."

Bramwell estimated that the entire event will raise $22,000. The money is not being put into one of the two church funds that have been set up, but will instead be given directly to the family of the girls' late mother, he said.

One of the golfers on Monday was State Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, who represents Norton at the Statehouse and was one of the first to sign up for the benefit.

As a golfer, Timilty doesn't give Tiger Woods a run for his money - "I'm not good, but I play," he laughed - but Timilty said he was glad to support a good cause. Timilty also lauded the police unions' fundraising success, noting that many golf tournaments raise $3,000 to $5,000 - big numbers, but tiny compared to Monday's $22,000 total for the Canns.

Detective Sgt. Brian Clark, one of the first officers on the scene Aug. 27 and the lead investigator of the shooting, said he thought the town's outpouring of support for the Canns since the tragedy has been amazing.

"The way the community has supported the family is something we have never seen before," Clark said. "It's nice to see the community come together. Everybody seems to be doing something."