Robbery suspect involved in cop death is an online prankster

The robbery suspect behind Tuesday’s fatal police shooting in Queens is a “thrill seeking” social media prankster who once filmed a video in which he got police to draw their weapons on him — and who once even showed up at a police precinct dressed in a cape asking to be a “vigilante” for hire, according to pals.

Christopher Ransom, 27, also known as “Chris the Risk,” has Facebook and YouTube pages for his pranks under the name “CHR Productions.” One of the videos shows him getting on his knees as four officers surround him with their guns drawn.

“Put your hands up! Put your hands up!” the officers can be heard screaming as Ransom falls to his knees in the four-second clip, posted in August 2015.

It’s unclear what precipitated the officers drawing their weapons in the video, but law enforcement and guns are frequent themes of Ransom’s.

In a video on his YouTube page, titled “Vigilante offers services to NYPD,” posted in Sept. 2016, a friend films the prankster parading into Brooklyn’s 71st Precinct in black briefs, sunglasses and a red cape.

“I just want to save people’s lives,” he says to an officer keeping guard outside.

“I just want to basically ask, do you guys need my assistance? I’m a superhero… I love you guys and I really appreciate you guys.”

Ransom is accused of causing a shootout outside of a Queens T-Mobile Tuesday night when he drew a fake gun on a pair of NYPD cops, causing one of them, Detective Brian Simonsen, to be fatally shot by friendly fire and another officer wounded. Ransom, who cops say is a career criminal with a lengthy rap sheet, was allegedly robbing the store.

His bizarre online life also included posting a video two years ago of him dancing on top of a marked NYPD car. In another, posted in July 2016, he runs into a Planet Fitness gym and simulates shooting a pair of men on the treadmill and an employee while “Hands Up” by Lloyd Banks plays in the background.

Friends reached by The Post even believed Tuesday’s robbery was a prank gone wrong because of Ransom’s penchant for extreme and risky jokes, one that included allowing a friend to Taser his penis.

“Chris was always playing intricate pranks and was a comedian. I think this was a prank gone wrong,” friend Shawn Ramoutar told The Post via Facebook messenger.

“He is a misunderstood young man with a big heart and extreme sense of humor who wanted to be loved by everyone.”

Aside from his pranks, Ransom also filmed skits and in one, he acts out a scene where he’s “questioned” by an “NYPD detective” while wearing a red cape, briefs and a construction hat.

“This is unprofessional man… here we go NYPD I get you.. New Yorks finest at what you do,” Ransom tells the “detective” after he knocks off Ransom’s hat.

“You think this is a joke? … You thought you wasn’t going to get caught?” the detective asks him, referring to Ransom’s previous, real life pranks where he was filmed jumping onto the subway tracks and stopping a moving train and in another, stopping a moving city bus.

“It’s my idea, I’m Chris the Risk… if I’m making a bunch of crazy videos, things that the normal person wouldn’t do even for a million dollars, think I’m going to get famous, I want to be famous, I want to be the next social media star,” Ransom says.

“You think… my fellow officers are going to make you famous?” the detective replies.

“You sound like an idiot.”

Additional reporting by Aaron Feis