QUEENS, N.Y. – A Queens jury on Monday found Jagger Freeman, 28, guilty of murder in the friendly fire death of NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Freeman was charged with murder, robbery, assault and other crimes for his role in the attempted robbery of a T-Mobile store in Feb. of 2019.
A second NYPD officer, Sergeant Matthew Gorman, was also critically injured while responding to the robbery.
"The jury has spoken,” Katz said. “The defendant's actions set in motion a terrible chain of events that began with an armed robbery in progress and resulted in the tragic loss of Detective Brian Simonsen as well as Sergeant Matthew Gorman being shot in the leg. Following an eight-week-long trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of murder. We express our condolences to Detective Simonsen's family and hope today's verdict brings them a measure of closure."
Police say Freeman acted as the lookout for Christopher Ransom, 30, who admitted in court to flashing a fake gun at officers, prompting them to open fire.
Ransom pleaded guilty in Oct. 2021 for aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and robbery in the first degree. He is currently serving 33 years in prison, followed by five years post-release supervision.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth C. Holder set a sentencing for Freeman for June 30, 2022, where he will face up to 25 years-to-life in prison.