FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 20 Years to Life in Prison for
Unprovoked Fatal Stabbing of Innocent Activist
Victim Ryan Carson Was Waiting for Bus; Entire Incident Captured on Surveillance Video
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 20-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the random and unprovoked murder of Ryan Carson, a social justice activist who was stabbed to death in Bedford Stuyvesant in 2023. The entire incident was clearly captured by a surveillance camera.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence, justice has been served – but that will not bring back Ryan Carson or all the benefits he would have brought to our communities if his life wasn’t cut short by this defendant. The tragic murder of this promising and passionate activist was beyond abhorrent and senseless, necessitating the lengthy prison term imposed in this case. We will continue to vigorously prosecute all acts of violence in Brooklyn and obtain accountability on behalf of victims and their loved ones.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Brian Dowling, 20, of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 20 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, following his guilty plea to second-degree murder last month.
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 Ryan Carson, 32, 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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