The man charged with murder in connection to the friendly fire death of an NYPD detective from Long Island claims that the case all stemmed from a prank.

Christopher Ransom told the Daily News that the holdup of a Queens T-Mobile store back in February was phony. He says he carried a fake gun and even returned the money he took from an employee there.

When police got to the scene, they opened fire. Detective Brian Simonsen was killed. NYPD Sgt. Matthew Gorman, also of Long Island, was wounded.

Ransom faces murder charges.