Murder Caught On Tape: Justice Reform Advocate Ryan Carson Murdered by Lunatic while Waiting for a Bus in New York City

Update, 10/4/23: Police say the suspect is a man named “Brian” who works at a school in the area. A young black woman who apologized to Carson’s girlfriend immediately after the stabbing, was apparently with the suspect that evening. NYPD continues to search for the suspect, who was arrested for disorderly conduct last year. 2 months ago, a relative tried to get “Brian” detained for mental disorders.

Justice Reform Advocate Ryan Carson was apparently murdered by a schizophrenic man while waiting for a bus in New York City. Described as "a tireless advocate for justice reform" by numerous posts on social media, Carson had worked for prisoners to be released without bail, and for crime penalties to be reduced. Carson was stabbed to death near a bus stop at Malcolm X Blvd. and Lafayette Ave. in Brooklyn early Monday, Oct. 2, 2023.

At 4 am Monday, Carson and his girlfriend were waiting for a bus after taking the Long Island Rail back from a wedding when a lunatic started knocking over scooters parked nearby. They were a mile from their home.

“What are you looking at?” demanded the assailant. According to police, he then stabbed Carson twice in the chest. Carson was dead on arrival at a local hospital. The assailant ran off and is still at large.

Security camera footage of the incident is available at: https://x.com/stillgray/status/1709324337260748946?s=20. The photos in this article are screengrabs from the footage.

In the video, the couple get up from the bus stop and start to walk towards a crazy man who is kicking scooters. The crazy guy’s eyes land on the couple. “What the f–k are you looking at!!!? He loudly demands to know.

“Nothing,” said Carson, stopping between the disturbed man and his girlfriend, wearing a blue dress.

“I’ll kill you!” the disturbed man threatens as Carson pleads “Chill! Chill!” and holds up his hand.

But the attacker pursues Carson, pulling a knife, as the victim’s girlfriend – running up behind them – is heard frantically yelling “Please, please, please!”

As he runs, Carson tumbles over the bench the couple had earlier been sitting on. The assailant then grabs his jacket and knocks him onto the ground, savagely stabbing him multiple times in the chest as the victim’s girlfriend watches helplessly.

He then walks away as Carson lies curled up on the ground, before returning and approaching the terrified woman, who raises her hand to stop him. The assailant spits on her – while still clutching the knife – before he kicks the dying young man and storms away.

Carson was 32 years old and six foot four inches tall. His friends remembered him as a “Gentle giant” and a poet. He worked for OnPoint NYC, a group that advocated for free needle exchange programs and safe injection sites. "Carson became celebrated for his advocacy for more drug injection sites. He identified himself as a member of Antifa on his social media,” reports Andy Ngo.

“I’m passionate about safe injection facilities because I’ve seen family members become addicted to opioids prescribed for pain caused by their occupations,” Carson wrote in the 2021 GoFundMe. “I’ve lost friends and family to the opioid epidemic, including my best friend, who died of a heroin overdose in 2016.”

OnPoint NYC would later open the first safe injection sites in the country in Washington Heights and East Harlem with the city’s blessing in November 2021. Safe injection sites remain illegal in New York State.

Following the fentanyl-related overdose death of a 1-year-old boy at a Bronx day care last month, NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan called the synthetic opioid the most dangerous threat to New Yorkers’ health since COVID.

"Reading many beautiful tributes to Ryan Carson today as I reflect on this shocking, horrific news of his death. Ryan's compassion was evident in everything he did. My fondest memory is of a night out we spent together with friends in Albany last year. I learned a lot from Ryan in a short time. I'm better for having known him, as so many of us are. Let us dedicate ourselves to continuing his life's work, cut short far too soon: to harm reduction; to humane drug policy; to creating a more caring society for all of us." tweeted Julie Salazar.

"Perhaps its time to rethink some of your policies? Many of us have been the victims of crime & had loved ones victimized, leading us to fight for safe streets. Perhaps time for you to stop gaslighting & start acknowledging tragedies like this ARE avoidable if pols took action" posted Melanie in reply.

"I too have been a victim of violent crime in my life and I find your response to this to be disgusting and cruel. Do better." responded Julie Salazar.

Following the fentanyl-related overdose death of a 1-year-old boy at a Bronx day care last month, NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan called the synthetic opioid the most dangerous threat to New Yorkers’ health since COVID.

“I’m passionate about safe injection facilities because I’ve seen family members become addicted to opioids prescribed for pain caused by their occupations,” Carson wrote in the 2021 GoFundMe. “I’ve lost friends and family to the opioid epidemic, including my best friend, who died of a heroin overdose in 2016.”