A Bedford-Stuyvesant resident has been indicted for allegedly attacking and murdering another Brooklyn man earlier this month, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced.
18-year-old Brian Dowling was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, and has been charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
If found guilty, Dowling could face upwards of 25 years to life in prison.
According to the investigation, the incident took place on Oct. 2, 2023, at around 3:50 a.m., outside of 57 Malcolm X Boulevard in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
During that night, Dowling was allegedly walking around angrily in the area and kicking parked scooters, before he noticed a couple — the victim, Ryan Carson, and his girlfriend — walking behind him.
According to evidence, which reportedly includes a clear video of the incident, Dowling turned around and faced Carson, before yelling “I’m going to kill you” in the victim’s direction.
District Attorney Gonzalez says that Dowling allegedly proceeded to swing a knife at the victim, striking him in the process. After Carson fell down during an attempt to flee the situation, Dowling presumably ran up to the victim and fatally stabbed him multiple times.
Following the incident, it is alleged that Dowling threw the knife away, but returned moments later to retrieve it. A later search by authorities would discover the knife — believed to be the murder weapon — hidden under greenery next to a nearby sidewalk, says the Brooklyn district attorney.
Later in the week, Dowling reportedly turned himself in to local police.
Following a search of his apartment, authorities discovered multiple knives with similar handles to the weapon that was recovered near the crime scene, along with finding clothes that matched the ones that the assailant was wearing in the video, District Attorney Gonzalez says.
“Ryan Carson was a promising and passionate man who worked to make our society better. Many of us watched the horrific video that showed his life being snuffed away senselessly, for no reason at all,” said District Attorney Gonzalez. “We will now seek to hold his alleged killer fully accountable for this unspeakably brutal murder.”
Dowling’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 8, 2023.
