Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Unprovoked Killing of Innocent Activist in Stabbing Caught on Surveillance Video

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Unprovoked Killing of

Innocent Activist in Stabbing Caught on Surveillance Video

Will Be Sentenced to 20 Years to Life in Prison for Murder of Ryan Carson

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 20-year-old Brooklyn man pleaded guilty for the random and unprovoked murder of Ryan Carson, a social justice activist who was stabbed to death in Bedford Stuyvesant in 2023. The defendant accepted the judge's offer of 20-years to life in exchange for his guilty plea.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, "Many of us still shudder when recalling the horrific video showing this defendant viciously attacking Ryan Carson and stabbing him to death for no reason at all. Such an unconscionable crime requires the separation of this defendant from our society for a very long time, which is ensured by the promised sentence he's now facing. Ryan was passionate about making our city a better place and I hope that today's outcome will bring his loved ones a small sense of closure."

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Brian Dowling, 20, of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun and accepted the judge's offer of 20 years to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 2, 2023, at approximately 3:50 a.m., outside of 57 Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the defendant was walking angrily and kicking parked scooters. He observed the victim, who was walking behind him with his girlfriend.

According to the evidence, which includes a clear video of the incident, the defendant turned to the victim and started yelling at him, saying, in part, "I'm going to kill you." He then swung a knife, striking the victim, who was trying to deescalate the confrontation. The victim attempted to flee but fell over a bus stop bench. The defendant then ran up to him and fatally stabbed him multiple times, striking his heart, as he lay on the ground.

The defendant flung the knife but returned moments later to retrieve it. A search revealed that the murder weapon was hidden under greenery next to a nearby sidewalk.

The defendant turned himself in later that week. A subsequent search warrant of his apartment discovered multiple knives with similar handles to the handle of the knife that was recovered. Clothes matching the ones that the assailant was wearing in the video were also recovered.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney's Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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