NYPD: Brian Dowling, 18, charged with murder in deadly stabbing of NYC activist Ryan Carson

CBS News New York ^ | October 5, 2023 | Elijah Westbrook

[grundle]

NEW YORK - The NYPD says Brian Dowling, an 18-year-old Brooklyn man, is facing murder charges in the deadly stabbing of New York City activist Ryan Carson.

CBS New York was on the scene when Dowling was taken into custody around 10 a.m. Thursday.

Police questioned the 18-year-old at the 81st Precinct, before he was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Surveillance video shows person of interest

Carson and his girlfriend were seen on surveillance video around 4 a.m. Monday sitting at a bus stop on Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Police said a man walked by them, with no interaction. Moments later, as the couple started walking, the man kicked over several moped scooters on the sidewalk, then turned to Carson and said, "What are you looking at?"

"Mr. Carson begins to immediately try to de-escalate the situation," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said in an earlier briefing.

That's when the suspect pulled out a knife and swung at him, police said. Carson is seen tripping and falling to the ground, and the attacker stabs him three times, piercing his heart.

"As Mr. Carson lay dying on the sidewalk, the male with the knife kicks him in the chest, threatens to stab the woman companion and spits in her face," Kenny said.

Investigators said they do not believe the suspect knew Carson or his girlfriend.

Carson remembered as community advocate

Carson was known for his activism against opioid overdoses. Over last decade, he worked at New York Public Interest Research Group, most recently dealing with recycling and solid waste. Previously, Carson advocated for safe injection facilities.

"He was just all over the place, trying to prevent drugs, just trying to keep the community afloat," said Bed-Stuy resident Gloria Reyes, who knew Carson.

Tributes have been pouring in by candlelight and by post. Mayor Eric Adams wrote Carson "turned his passion into purpose," and Sen. Chuck Schumer described him as "a rising talent and an extraordinary activist."

"Whenever you work with Ryan on an issue, as a colleague, you quickly become a friend because he was such a warm, endearing and fun guy to be around," said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics.

Loved ones also held a vigil at the scene Monday night, just steps away from the home he shared with his roommates.

[Bonemaker]

“Carson remembered as community advocate”

Looks like we got us a twofer.

[blacknazi]

Loved ones also held a vigil at the scene Monday night, just steps away from the home he shared with his roommates?

so why was he standing outside his own building at 4am waiting for a bus, walking behind a complete stranger?

i think this was a drug deal gone wrong.

[Rummyfan]

“Hey honey, let’s go walking on Malcolm X Blvd at 4 AM in the morning to show we’re down with the struggle, waddaya say?”

Sorely lacking in situational awareness that's for sure. I don't like to drive through Bed-Stuy in broad daylight.

[Rummyfan]

Is Bedford Sty a bad neighborhood in general?

In general yeah. And it pushes up against the more upscale Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights.

[Dr. Sivana]

Oh, he doesn’t look related to THE Brian Dowling, Yale/Rams QB and inspiration for Doonesbury’s B.D. character.

[moovova]

"Looks like we got us a twofer." <> A real twofer would've been the guy AND his girlfriend. She's an activist also...

“Following the tragic incident, a flurry of social media activity was sparked, with people unearthing old posts where Morales was seen wearing an ACAB T-shirt during the BLM movement in 2020."

[Brooklyn Attitude]

“Is Bedford Sty a bad neighborhood in general?”

Let’s just say it’s bad enough at 2 PM and a definite no go at 4 AM especially for the melanin deficient.

[ETCM]

He was also affiliated with Antifa.

At a minimum he was a far left activist. His girlfriend was BLM/ANTIFA activist. Lots of pics of her online wearing an ACAB shirt. I bet she wishes one of those bastard cops was around to stop her boyfriend's murder. Nah, she will somehow contort this event into a pretzel until it's OUR fault. Maybe she will set up a gofundme to pay his bail.

[Wilderness Conservative]

He’ll be the prom queen in the slammer with that purty mouth and pigtails.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

The mainstream media is making Carson out to be a hero when in reality he was an ANTIFA scumbag who didn’t mind seeing NYC looted and burned.

[1Old Pro]

I bet she wishes one of those bastard cops was around to stop her boyfriend's murder.

Honestly, she didn't look too upset.

[DiogenesLamp]

“The White liberal is the worst enemy to America and the worst enemy to the Black man. Let me first explain what I mean by this White liberal. In America there’s no such thing as Democrats and Republicans anymore. That’s antiquated. In America you have liberals and conservatives. This is what the American political structure boils down to among Whites. The only people who are still living in the past and thinks in terms of “I’m a Democrat” or “I’m a Republican” is the American Negro. He’s the one who runs around bragging about party affiliation and he’s the one who sticks to the Democrat or sticks to the Republican, but White people in America are divided into two groups, liberals and Republicans…or rather, liberals and conservatives. And when you find White people vote in the political picture, they’re not divided in terms of Democrats and Republicans, they’re divided consistently as conservatives and as liberal. The Democrats who are conservative vote with Republicans who are conservative. Democrats who are liberals vote with Republicans who are liberals. You find this in Washington, DC. Now the White liberals aren’t White people who are for independence, who are liberal, who are moral, who are ethical in their thinking, they are just a faction of White people who are jockeying for power the same as the White conservatives are a faction of White people who are jockeying for power. Now they are fighting each other for booty, for power, for prestige and the one who is the football in the game is the Negro. Twenty million Black people in this country are a political football, a political pawn an economic football, an economic pawn, a social football, a social pawn...”

What he says is exactly correct.

[desertsolitaire]

Oh my goodness had no idea. Why do the residents and us in general tolerate the existence of any such neighborhoods? Nit saying easy answers but tolerating is affirming it, almost.

[irishjuggler]

“Oh, he doesn’t look related to THE Brian Dowling, Yale/Rams QB and inspiration for Doonesbury’s B.D. character.”

I’m a bit surprised that it took until post #45 for anyone to mention the famous college QB & helmeted comic strip character of the same name.

[Jane Long]

He was also affiliated with Antifa.

---

Strangely, neither F U Schumer or Mayor Adams mention that lil factoid, in their accolades for the belated “activist”.

🤔

[Chewbarkah]

The Great Dr. Sigmund Karnak: “A jacked up black paranoid schizophrenic about to murder someone, just cause.”
In the envelope: Pictures of Brian Dowling.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Post #19: Great answer.

[Schatze]

Honestly, she didn't look too upset.

I had the same impression. She did nothing to help him.

[dfwgator]

Honestly, she didn't look too upset. I had the same impression. She did nothing to help him.

I think soon we're going to find out why that is.

[popdonnelly]

Has been for a long time. Progressivism is not making it any better.