File Photo
Simonsen’s wife Leanne mourns at his funeral.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty in the February 2019 death of City Police Det. Brian Simonsen, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz recently announced.
Christopher Ransom, 30, has also copped to holding up the mobile phone store that brought police to the Richmond Hill location and culminated with multiple rounds being fired and two cops being hit. Detective Brian Simonsen succumbed to his wounds at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.
Ransom recently pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and robbery in the first degree. He also pleaded guilty to robbery in the second degree for a separate robbery on Feb. 8, 2019. Based on the negotiated plea, Ransom is expected to be sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison to be followed by five years post release supervision at sentencing on Nov. 17.
Photo Courtesy of Google
Ransom and a co-defendant attempted to rob this T-Mobile store on Atlantic Avenue in Richmond Hill.
According to court records, on Feb. 12, 2019, Ransom and a co-defendant arrived at the T-Mobile store on 120th Street in Richmond Hill shortly after 6 p.m. Ransom entered the business brandishing a black pistol. He ordered the two employees inside to surrender both cash and merchandise from the back room of the store. Ransom was still inside the location when police officers responded to the scene. He pointed the gun—which appeared real—at the police officers, who discharged their weapons in response.
Simonsen, a 19-year-veteran of the 102nd Precinct was fatally shot once in the torso by friendly fire. He was 42 years old. Sergeant Matthew Gorman was seriously injured with a bullet wound to his left leg.
“The defendant set in motion a terrible chain of events that began with a robbery and ended in a spray of bullets when Ransom pointed what appeared to be a deadly firearm toward police officers. The defendant was repeatedly told to lower his weapon but did not do so. The heartbreaking result was the loss of Det. Simonsen’s life and Sgt. Matthew Gorman being shot in the leg,” Katz said. “We express our condolences once again to Det. Simonsen’s family and hope today brings them a measure of closure.”
