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Thousands expected for NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen’s funeral – Metro US

Thousands expected for NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen’s funeral

Brian Simonsen
NYPD

After hundreds of friends, family and fellow law enforcement officers paid their respects for fallen NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen at wakes on Monday and Tuesday, thousands are expected to gather Wednesday for his funeral.

Det. Simonsen, a 19-year veteran of the police force, was killed last Tuesday by friendly fire while responding to a robbery attempt at a T-Mobile in Richmond Hill, Queens.

Suspect Christopher Ransom, 27, was weilding what was later identified as a fake gun during the robbery attempt. Responding NYPD officers fired a total of 42 shots at the scene, hitting Ransom eight times, striking Sgt. Matthew Gorman in the leg and fatally hitting Simonsen in the chest. The department will review the shooting incident and tactics used, per Commissioner James P. O’Neill. Though they did not fire the fatal shot, Ransom and his accomplice Jagger Freeman have both been charged with murder. 

Mourners gathered at St. Rosalie Roman Catholic Church in Hampton Bays for three wakes, one Monday night and two additional services on Tuesday, one of which Mayor Bill de Blasio was scheduled to attend.

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Facebook/Jonny Castro Art

At the Monday service, Jonny Castro, a forensic artist with the Philadelphia Police Department, presented Simonsen’s family with a portrait he drew of the 42-year-old officer.

Simonsen, 42, was known as “Smiles,” according to the New York Post. On Monday, the paper reported, more than 40 NYPD officers saluted Simonsen’s casket as it was carried into the church. On Sunday, members of the NYPD remembered their fallen colleague during a prayer vigil.

“Detective Brian Simonsen will always be remembered as a brave, selfless cop by his family, community, and fellow Finest,” NYPD Chief of Department Terence A. Monahan said on Twitter, sharing a video from that vigil. “My thanks to everyone for the tremendous outpouring of support.”

Mourners lined up around the side of the church to get into the Tuesday afternoon wake. 

Simonsen spent all 19 years of his time with the NYPD at the same precinct in central Queens, the 102nd Precinct, which contains Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill East, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and north Ozone Park.

Queens residents and others who passed through that precinct took to Simonsen’s online memorial page to grieve the longstanding community figure.

Officials anticipate between 5,000 and 10,000 attendees to make their way to Long Island for Simonsen’s funeral, which will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 10 a.m at St. Rosalie Roman Catholic Church in Hampton Bays on Long Island.

In anticipation of the crowds, several roads will be closed to traffic and parking according to the Southampton Town Police Department.

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Beginning at 8 a.m. Feb. 20, Montauk Highway from Flanders Road to Old Riverhead Road; Squiretown Road from Montauk Highway to Old Riverhead Road; Ponquogue Avenue from Montauk Highway to Good Ground Road and Springville Road from Montauk Highway to Good Ground Road will be closed.

Beginning at 6 a.m. no parking will be permitted on Montauk Highway from Flanders Road to Canoe Place Road; Squiretown Road from Montauk Highway to Old Riverhead Road; Ponquogue Avenue from Montauk Highway to Good Ground Road and Springville Road from Montauk Highway to Good Ground Road.

Following the 10 a.m. funeral, the procession will move to Jamesport Cemetery for the burial, requiring a moving closure along Flanders Road (NY 24) to County Road 105, per police. Simonsen was a former South Jamesport resident and lived in Calverton, Long Island at the time of his death.

Long Island Rail Road also announced schedule changes ahead of Simonsen’s funeral to accommodate those who wish to pay their respects. Service changes for the westbound LIRR trains can be found here, per CBS, and eastbound trains here.

Simonsen is survived by his wife Leanne, mother Linda and grandfather Vern. A GoFundMe has already raised more than $25,000 for his family.