The New York Police Department on Thursday released an image of the Colt 1911 pistol replica that was believed to be a real gun in the alleged T-Mobile store robbery that killed one of their own Tuesday.
Officers on the scene in Richmond Hill, Queens fired 42 shots in under 11 seconds during a standoff with Christopher Ransom, 27, who was wielding the fake weapon, resulting in the friendly-fire death of Detective Brian Simonsen.
The semi-automatic lookalike was the standard used for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986 and is also known as the 'Government' or 'Colt Government'.
It's magazine-fed and chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge.
Police say Christopher Ransom (above) appeared to be attempting to commit suicide by cop as he charged at seven armed officers while pretending to pull the trigger on his fake firearm
NYPD released an image of the Colt 1911 pistol replica that was believed to be a real gun. The semi-automatic lookalike was the standard used for the United States Armed Forces from 1911
Christopher Ransom, 27, (left) was charged with murder, robbery, assault, aggravated manslaughter and menacing following a police confrontation at a T-Mobile store in Queens on Tuesday. Ransom and a police sergeant were wounded and NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen (right) was killed when cops fired 42 shots at the suspect, who was carrying a fake gun
Investigators say squad Sgt Matthew Gorman and two uniformed cops, the first officers to respond to reports of an armed robbery, entered the T-Mobile store around 6pm and found it appeared to be empty. Ransom then charged out of a back room, pointed his fake gun at them and pretended to pull the trigger.
Sources say Ransom appeared to be attempting suicide by cop as he rushed toward seven armed officers and pretended to pull the trigger on his fake firearm, even recoiling to simulate the motion if the gun had fired.
The three officers backed out of the store, where Detective Simonsen, 42, and three other law enforcement officials were waiting.
Ransom followed after them with his fake gun held high, prompting police to fire a total of 42 shots, wounding Ransom, Gorman, and Simonsen, who was struck in the chest and killed.
Investigators are still working to determine exactly who shot whom by reviewing street surveillance video and the footage from five body cameras.
Gunfire erupted after police responded to reports of an armed robbery at the T-Mobile in Richmond Hill around 6.15pm Tuesday
Simonsen (left) and squad Sergeant Matthew Gorman (right) were struck by friendly fire outside the T-Mobile store after Ransom charged at them holding his fake gun in the air. Gorman was shot in the hip and is reportedly in serious but stable condition
Simonsen fired two of the 42 shots and Gorman fired 11. It's not yet clear who fired the shots that struck them, according to Chief Kevin Mahoney of the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division.
'It was only about a minute in all, from when everyone arrived to when shots are fired,' Mahoney said.
'You have to understand, this happens in seconds. It goes from 0 to 60. You're investigating a possible crime and all of a sudden someone is charging at you, pointing what you believe to be a firearm, simulating firing at you. It raises everything very quickly.'
Though all of the bullets discharged came from NYPD officers, officials have placed the blame squarely on Ransom.
The career criminal was charged with the murder of Simonsen as well as robbery, assault, aggravated manslaughter and menacing.
Ransom, whose went by the street alias 'Detective', has been arrested at least 11 times since 2012, according to police records. At the time of Tuesday's shooting he was wanted in connection with a January 19 robbery at another cellphone store
'Make no mistake about it, friendly fire aside, it is because of the actions of the suspect that Detective Simonsen is dead,' Commissioner James O'Neill said as he held back tears during a press conference Tuesday night.
'He was pointing a gun at them,' NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said. 'The blame goes to that individual doing that.'
One NYPD source told the New York Post of Ransom's actions: 'It definitely looks like attempted suicide by cop. There was no way he was shooting his way out of there.'
Police said Ransom was shot multiple times and was in critical condition at New York-Presbyterian Queens hospital.
Authorities say Ransom has a long rap sheet and a history of bizarre pranks ready-made for his social media pages.
Nicknamed 'Detective' has been arrested at least 11 times since 2012, records show, and he was wanted by police in connection with a January 19 robbery at another cellphone store.
Ransom was charged in 2016 with impersonating a police officer after allegedly climbing over a gate and walking up to a desk at a Brooklyn police station while wearing a fake SWAT vest and police badge.
He pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
Four years earlier, Ransom pleaded guilty and was sentenced to jail time for pretending to be an intern to gain access to a judge's chambers.
On social media, Ransom has styled himself as a comedian and prankster in the vein of Sasha Baron Cohen of 'Borat' fame, posting videos of stunts that sometimes veered into dangerous territory.
In one video, he's shown in his cape-and-Speedo superhero outfit stopping a subway train by jumping on the tracks and putting his hand up. In another video, he shows up to a police precinct in the outfit.
Ransom sued the city over a 2015 arrest, alleging officers approached him on a Brooklyn street corner for no reason, cornered him in a food store with guns drawn and took him to a psychiatric ward against his will.
Ransom's charges were later dismissed, and he dropped the lawsuit in 2016.
A message was left for Ransom's lawyer in the lawsuit.
Witness video appeared to show officers escorting a suspect out of the store
Police salute as the body of Det Simonsen is moved from Jamaica Hospital by ambulance
Simonsen grew up on Long Island and he and his wife continued to live close by - more than an hour's drive from the 102nd precinct where he worked his whole 19-year NYPD career.
Since childhood he's been known as 'Smiles' for his bright, welcoming personality. At Riverhead High School, he played football and
