An 18-year-old Brooklyn man who authorities had previously described as “mentally disturbed” was arrested Thursday morning in connection with the stabbing death of a left-wing activist on a New York City sidewalk earlier this week.
Media reports have identified the suspect as Brian Dowling, who lives near the scene of the stabbing. He is facing murder and weapons charges in connection with the killing of activist Ryan Carson early Monday, according to reports.
“Assailant has been caught,” Carson’s father, Ken, wrote on Facebook Thursday morning.
Police sources told the New York Post earlier this week that they had identified a “mentally disturbed” 18-year-old as a person of interest in the killing. About two months ago, the teen’s aunt called 911 on her nephew after he got into a fight with his girlfriend and smashed items in her apartment, the Post reported.
A family member of Dowling’s who spoke briefly with National Review on Thursday said there have been “a lot of issues” with the teen’s mental health. “The whole thing is so sad,” the family member said, adding that “it’s been a very hard week.”
Investigators believe Dowling may have had another argument with his girlfriend before he attacked and killed Carson on the sidewalk.
Carson, an activist with the New York Public Interest Research Group, was returning home from a wedding early Monday with his girlfriend when they encountered the teen just before 4 A.M. When the teen, identified as Dowling, began kicking over moped scooters, Carson attempted to de-escalate the situation.
“What are you looking at,” Dowling said before threatening to kill Carson, approaching him, and pulling out a knife. When Carson tripped and fell, the attacker stabbed him three times. He threatened to kill Carson’s girlfriend and spat in her face.
Dowling was issued three summonses last year, two of them for disorderly conduct, and one because he was the victim of a robbery in 2021, according to the Post. It is unclear if Dowling has a juvenile record.