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Feb. 21-27, 2020
A HERO REMEMBERED
Det. Brian Simonsen, killed by friendly fi re a year ago, honored at Richmond Hill memorial Mass
BY BILL PARRY
A long line of blue filed
into Holy Child Jesus Church
in Richmond Hill Wednesday
as hundreds of NYPD officers
honored fallen Det. Brian Simonsen
at a memorial Mass
marking the first anniversary
of his death. Simonsen
was killed by friendly fire on
Feb. 12, 2019 while responding
to a robbery at a T-Mobile
store.
The 42-year-old man was a
member of the NYPD’s 102nd
precinct detective squad in
Richmond Hill, where he
worked his entire 19 years
on the job. Burglary suspect
Christopher Ransom allegedly
charged at eight officers
pointing a fake gun at them
in an episode of “suicide by
cop” he would later say.
The officers fired 42 shots
and Simonsen was fatally
struck and killed.
“To the entire NYPD family
and especially to all the
men and women of the 102
Precinct, you lost a brother,
you’re feeling that pain, are
hearts are with you as well,”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
“When we lose a member of
our police force our whole
city learns about the life of a
good man and we learn it too
late. We learn his story and
with Brian we learned three
things. I think very, very vividly.
One, how much he loved
his family. His blood family
for sure but his Police Department
family as well. He
showed in so many ways the
love and the pride he had.”
Simonsen, who made 600
arrests during his career,
drove 140 miles round trip
from his home in Calverton,
Long Island to work in
Police officers file into Holy Child Jesus Church in Richmond Hill to honor Det. Brian Simonsen a year after he was killed by friendly fire.
Queens.
“I kind of found out a little
more about Brian, and I
said to myself, wow, this guy,
wow, impressive,” Chief of
Detectives Rodney Harrison
said. “He is the police. He did
what he had to do to take care
of that community and keep
them safe. He had 19 years on
the job, a lot of people with
19 years on the job, they’re
parked behind a desk, give
me a desk, give me a phone,
and leave me alone. He was
still out there rocking and
rolling, challenging the bad
guys.”
In addition to Simonsen’s
wife Leanna and family, students
from Holy Child Jesus
Catholic Academy attended
the memorial. Msgr. Robert
J. Romano, Assistant Chief
Chaplain for the NYPD and
concelebrant of the Mass,
hoped that by attending the
service, children of the parish
would see how officers
are more than people who
just wear a uniform.
“They’re dads and moms
just like theirs who try to
bring a family together, raise
a family,” he said. “I always
use the imagery of the family
Courtesy of Mayor’s offi ce
of blood and the family of
blue. When we put them together,
it’s one family and we
support those who have been
killed in the line of duty. We
support their families and
they are never forgotten.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
Vol. 8 No. 8 52 total pages
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