Law enforcement mourns after NYPD death; suspect has ties to Hudson Valley

Law enforcement in the Hudson Valley is feeling the affects of the tragic death of Detective Brian Simonsen in Queens Tuesday night, and the suspect has a connection to the area.

News 12 Staff

Feb 14, 2019, 1:53 AM

Updated 1,909 days ago

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Law enforcement in the Hudson Valley is feeling the affects of the tragic death of Detective Brian Simonsen in Queens Tuesday night, and the suspect has a connection to the area.
Simonsen was killed in what police have called a tragic incident of friendly fire outside a T-Mobile store. He and six other officers responded to a robbery inside the store when police say the suspect charged with what they thought was a gun. 
Officers discharged a total of 42 rounds, one of which fatally hit Simonsen in the chest.
NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan says Sgt. Matthew Gorman was also wounded, along with the suspect, Christopher Ransom, 27 of Brooklyn. Monahan says Ransom is a career criminal.
According to Ransom's Facebook, he is a 2012 graduate of the College of New Rochelle.
Irvington Police Chief Michael Cerone says the incident devastates every single officer in the county who has to worry about friendly fire on a daily basis.
"It gets emotional, more so when we lose an officer, more so when it's done by one of our own. No one wants to live with that," says Cerone.
NYPD officials say they do not know who shot whom, and they are reviewing body camera video and surveillance footage. But Cerone says it does not matter who fired the shots.
"We all have to remember that this was not brought on by the officers as far as the shooting goes. It was brought on by the suspect," says Cerone.
Cerone says all officers receive continual training to prevent friendly fire. Authorities say Simonsen was not wearing his vest when he was shot, even though it is department protocol to do so. 


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