18-year-old arrested in connection with brutal murder of NYC social justice activist, stabbed repeatedly in front of his girlfriend

A social justice advocate was slaughtered in front of his anti-cop girlfriend in New York City earlier this week. Police have made an arrest in the case.

Brian Dowling, an 18-year-old who has reportedly had previous run-ins with the law, is believed to be the individual seen in surveillance footage stabbing 32-year-old Ryan Carson and then fleeing. Police circulated the suspect's image Wednesday afternoon and identified him shortly thereafter. He is now in custody at the New York Police Department's 81st Precinct.

The stabbing

TheBlaze previously reported that surveillance footage shows Carson and his girlfriend — alleged BLM activist Claudia Morales — seated Monday morning at a bus stop bench near Malcolm X Blvd. The two were on their way home from a wedding on Long Island.

The suspect walks past the couple without exchanging any words around 3:50 a.m. Down the block, he starts kicking over parked scooters. Moments later, Carson and Morales get up and begin walking in the same direction.

The suspect turns his attention, screaming at Carson, "The f*** are you looking at? ... Imma kill you right now!"

Carson backs up, repeatedly telling the incensed thug, "Chill, chill."

Despite Carson's attempts to de-escalate the situation and push away his attacker, the thug manages to punch the 6'4" social justice advocate in the face. Carson recoils and retreats, tripping over the bus bench in the process.

Morales pleads with the thug to stop, but her efforts are in vain.

Brandishing a knife, the thug chases Carson and stabs him three times in the chest. After kicking his victim's body on the ground, the thug threatens to stab Morales, electing instead to spit in her face and flee.

Toward the end of the footage, a woman appears, calling out what sounds like "Brian" and telling the aggrieved woman, "I'm so sorry!"

Carson was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny indicated at a press conference Wednesday that Carson's heart had been pierced by the knife in the attack.

Kenny also indicated police had identified the alleged killer but were waiting for "probable cause to make this arrest."

The suspect

Sources told the New York Post that Dowling was arrested Thursday after NYPD officers executed a search warrant at a home on Lafayette Avenue — near Malcom X Boulevard, where Ryan Carson was slain.

A neighbor told the New York Daily News, "[I'm] very surprised, I can't believe it. ... He was the sweetest boy."

A family friend suggested that he couldn't understand what set Dowling off.

The Post reported that Dowling had been issued three summonses last year, including two for disorderly conduct. He was also named in an incident report concerning a July incident where he allegedly smashed up his girlfriend's apartment following a dispute. According to his aunt, he is "mentally disturbed."

Police are considering the possibility that the suspect may have once again been fighting with his girlfriend, this time turning his rage onto an unsuspecting passerby.

"The person that did the stabbing was seen on the corner with a female acting very agitated prior to the stabbing," said Kenny.

Dowling, being questioned at the 81st Precinct and whose charges are pending, reportedly works at a high school in Clinton Hill.

The victim

Carson appears to have been well liked, both at work and in his community.

He moved to New York City from Massachusetts in 2010 to attend the Pratt Institute. He ended up becoming a senior solid waste campaign manager at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

The NYPIRG noted in a statement, "Ryan was a beloved staffer, colleague and friend, and a creative, talented, relentless and upbeat advocate for students and the environment."

Blair Horner, Carson's former boss at the NYPIRG, said, "It's incomprehensible. ... He was so young," reported WABC-TV.

"A life full of promise is snuffed out. And the world is a worse place for it, and we'll miss him dearly," added Horner.

Tammy Marie David, a radical leftist who has lent her voice to "Be Heard!" on WHCR-FM, started a Gofundme for Carson's girlfriend, Claudia Morales, which has already raised over $65,500.

"Immediate needs are to offset the costs of working class people taking time off of work to properly mourn," wrote David. "We hope you may find his thoughts on mutual aid, his works of advocacy, and understand that his radical principles of community care, justice, and dismantling an individualized profit-centered way of life are worth carrying forward in our own communities."

Andy Ngo of the Post Millennial reported that Morales is a BLM activist who has previously denounced the police, noting in a June 1, 2020, social media post, "The police do not protect you. ACAB. BLM. hope you're on the right side of history."

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