Apparently Mr. Askew was going to be a Democratic candidate for the city council.
http://cbsnewyork.com/topstories/topstories_story_204143245.html
Select the hyperlink on the middle-right column which says "More about Othniel Boaz Askew, Andrew Kirtzman reports." to see a video where the murderer's politics are discussed.
*Was* going to be. He joined Davis' campaign today, just to be able to kill him in City Hall, I guess.
I had no idea Andrew Kirtzman had gone to CBS; he's been on NY1 for about a decade.