Brooklyn Man Charged in Murder of Activist Ryan Carson in Front of Girlfriend

Brooklyn Man Charged in Murder of Activist Ryan Carson in Front of Girlfriend

BROOKLYN, NY – Brian Dowling, 18, from Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, has been charged with the murder of activist Ryan Carson.

The event, which took place outside 57 Malcolm X Boulevard on October 2, was captured on surveillance footage. According to the evidence, around 3:50 a.m., Dowling confronted Carson, who was with his girlfriend, and threatened him before attacking him with a knife. The assault led to Carson’s death.

Dowling is now facing charges of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

On Friday, Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun ordered him held without bail. Dowling will reappear in court on December 8, and if convicted, faces a possible life sentence.

Further investigation revealed that Dowling turned himself in days after the attack. A search of his apartment yielded multiple knives and clothing matching the attire seen in the surveillance video.