Brian P. Simonsen
Agency patch
Detective

Brian P. Simonsen

Accident
End of Watch February 12, 2019
Age 42
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Badge 3877
The Vigil Panel 169 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Brian Simonsen, known as "Smiles," was a detective first grade in the 102nd Detective Squad in Queens, where he served as the elected delegate for his fellow detectives. On 12 February 2019 he was shot and killed while responding to a report of an armed robbery at a T-Mobile store in Queens.

In October 2021, Christopher Ransom, who had 25 prior arrests, including one for impersonating a police officer, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and robbery and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. On 7 July 2022, in Queens Supreme Court, Jagger Freeman was sentenced to 30 years to life after being convicted of murder, robbery, assault and other charges for his role in the shooting; his sentence also covered a separate cell phone store robbery on 8 February 2019.

Detective Simonsen is buried at Jamesport Cemetery in Jamesport, in the Town of Riverhead, New York. On 15 June 2019 a street in Riverhead was renamed Det. Brian Simonsen Way, and on 8 October 2022 the corner of 118th Street and Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens, near the 102nd Precinct, was named in his honor. In 2022 the NYPD issued a new, lighter protective vest for the Detective Bureau, designed to be worn under a business suit, and named it after him. A memorial foundation also carries his name.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, mother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Simonsen gave the New York City Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Simonsen.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 12, 2019
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Age 42
Badge Number 3877
Gender Male
Assignment 102 Squad

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Accident

Brian is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2019, 45 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 103rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Brian was 42. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Brian had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

February holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 0.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Brian among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Brian P. Simonsen

New York City Police Department · End of Watch February 12, 2019

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 29-W

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