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A 'friendly fire' claimed the life of a veteran NYPD cop, Det. Brian Simonsen, in 2019. Jagger Freeman, 28, one of the accused in the case, was convicted of felony murder and robbery by the jurors. However, Freeman claimed that he did not kill Brian Simonsen.
Prosecutors claimed that Freeman and another accused, Christopher Ransom, 30, was the cause of the situation. Last week, Ransom was sentenced to 33 years in prison, plus five years post-release supervision, after he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and robbery.
Ransom waived his right to appeal during last month's plea hearing and said this in court:
"I am the author of the chain of events that led to the death of Detective Simonsen and for that I am deeply sorry. I would like forgiveness but I would not dare as of it, I would not put that burden on the late detective's loved ones."
The Legal Aid Society, which represented Ransom in the case in a statement, said their client "takes full responsibility for his actions."
Brian Simonsen was shot in the chest as he and six other officers open-fired at Ransom during a robbery at a T-Mobile store in Queens' Richmond Hill neighborhood.
Brian Simonsen: Veteran cop becomes victim of a "prank"
Police stated that Ransom was pointing a fake handgun at them. He even ordered two employees to give up cash and merchandise from the back room, authorities said. Referring to this point, prosecutors said:
"Ransom was still inside the business when police officers responded to the scene. Ransom pointed his gun – which appeared real – at the police officers who discharged their weapons in response."
Meanwhile, Ransom claimed that the hail of gunfire stemmed from a "prank gone wrong."
NYPD officers discharged a total of 42 rounds at the scene within 11 seconds, investigators have said. However, Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder rebuked Ransom's stupidity and said:
"Your idiocy has destroyed families. You have taken a husband from his wife, a man from his community, and a detective from a job he loved and dedicated his life to. You've reached the pinnacle of your idiocy, a level which most people never achieve."
Justice Holder further stated that Ransom's pranks and antics finally caught up to him. However, Ransom maintained that he was 'not a monster' and did not anticipate Brian Simonsen's death. However, police have called him a career criminal with 25 prior arrests.
On the other hand, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz hoped the sentencing would bring closure to Brian Simonsen's family, although they would feel the void regardless.
Former NYPD Chief of Department, Terence Monahan, at the time of Brian Simonsen's death, had said:
"There wasn't a person in the 102 that didn't know him, from the cleaner to the command officer. He was who you called if you had a problem. Wasn't just the cops who knew him well, the community, everyone knew him, that he's the cop you reached out to if a problem needed to be handled."
Brian Simonsen grew up on the east end of Long Island and was a veteran cop in the 102nd precinct. He is survived by his wife and his mother.
