Cops plead for help in desperate hunt for on-the-run killer who stabbed social justice advocate on Brooklyn street in front of his traumatized girlfriend as friends pay tribute after 'unthinkable' murder

• e-mail

The NYPD is pleading for the public's assistance in tracking down the suspect who stabbed a 32-year-old social justice advocate in a cold blooded killing that occurred in Brooklyn in the early hours of Monday morning. 

Within hours of Ryan Carson's tragic death in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of the city, his friends and colleagues had organized a candlelight vigil in which one called his murder 'unthinkable.' 

As of Wednesday morning, there is still no arrest in the killing. Sources told CBS New York that there is no physical description of the subject but witnesses have said that he was 'acting irrationally' before the killing. 

Video from Monday morning showed him kicking over scooters before Carson walked over and appeared to ask him what he was doing - sparking the deadly confrontation.

Carson was with his girlfriend after coming home from a wedding around 4am when they were accosted by the 'emotionally disturbed' killer.  Horrifying video showed Carson attempting to reason with the assailant, who repeatedly stabbed the Massachusetts-native in the chest. His girlfriend was unharmed in the incident. 

Carson's roommate Vlad Miroshnikov told the New York Daily News that the victim's girlfriend had told them that the attacker was 'a kid... (He was) just marching down the street super, super upset about something, on a terror path. They just happened to be in that path.'

Ryan Carson was returning home from a wedding - and his girlfriend Claudia posted an image of them smiling together just hours before the tragedy. They are wearing the same outfits seen in the security footage

More than 100 of Carson's friends came out for a vigil to celebrate his life on Monday night 

The celebration of the activist's life was held across the street from his home in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn 

'This not just a loss for us. This is a loss for all of New York,' friend Jaki Cohen also said of the climate and drug rehabilitation activist

'It breaks my heart to know how much he could’ve accomplished in the span of his life and it was just taken too soon,' friend and former colleague Jaqi Cohen told New York 1 at Monday night's vigil. 

The memorial was held at Herbert Von King Park, across the street from his home. There were over 100 people in attendance.   

'This not just a loss for us. This is a loss for all of New York,' Cohen also said of the climate and drug rehabilitation activist. 

Homicide Detectives investigate a stabbing homicide at Lafayette Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard on Monday, October 2

Homicide Detectives investigate a stabbing homicide at Lafayette Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard 

Homicide Detectives investigate a stabbing homicide at Lafayette Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard on Monday, October 2

'He certainly wasn’t an idealist, but he believed in the power of community organizing and just community more broadly, and helping his fellow neighbor and New Yorker out.'

Cohen went on to say that Carson began for focus on drug rehabilitation when his best friend died of an overdose. 

Also in attendance at the vigil on Monday was State Assembly Member Emily Gallagher. She told News12 in an interview that the pair became close prior to her entering politics as the both had close friends who died from overdoses. 

'It’s on us to continue his legacy and to the opioid epidemic, to fight climate change, to fight to make New York City and New York state a better place, and we’re gonna do the very best we can. If not as well as Ryan, the best we can to remember Ryan,' Cohen added. 

A note that was found on Carson's phone and posted to X by his bereaved girlfriend

Another friend, Acadia Cutschall, told the New York Post that she was present when Carson talked a man out of mugging him. 

'I was present once when he literally talked a guy out of mugging him. He gave him some money,' she said. 

Speaking about his killer, Cutcshall said: 'He would probably help out a guy like that.' 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams also paid tribute in a post on X.

'Ryan Carson turned his passion into purpose. He advocated tirelessly for others, and his giving spirit was a buoy to all. His murder is unthinkable, and the NYPD won’t rest until we bring him to justice. I’m praying for all who knew and loved Ryan.'

'Ryan Carson threw himself into everything he did with passion and humanity. May his memory and work inspire us,' Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said in a social media post. 

Carson was an organizer for the New York Public Interest Research Group. 

'It's incredibly tragic. A life full of promise is snuffed out. And the world is a worse place for it,' the group's executive director Blair Horner told ABC New York. 

In a separate interview with NBC New York. Horner said Carson was a 'larger than life character. He's very, very jovial, and charismatic staff loved him. His students loved him.'

Dressed in a suit, Carson was returning home from a wedding - and his girlfriend Claudia posted an image of them smiling together at the nuptials hours before the tragedy.

The suspect, wearing a dark colored sweatshirt with his hood up - asked 'What the f**k are you looking at?' before violently stabbing him in the chest. 

The attacker can be heard saying 'I'll kill you!' on camera while Carson pleads with him and holds up his hand.

His girlfriend can be heard in the security footage shouting: 'Please, please, please!'

Ryan Carson, 32, was stabbed in the chest at around 4am at a bus stop, about a mile away at Lafayette Avenue and Malcom X Boulevard in Brooklyn. He was returning home after attending a wedding

Carson falls over the bench he had been sitting on before the attacker knocks him to the ground and knifes him multiple times.

He then spits on the girlfriend, kicks Carson's body and storms away.

A woman who has not yet been identified then appears, shouting at the assailant: 'Don't hurt him!'

It is believed that this second woman may know the suspect, repeating the name Brian or Bryan.

She approaches Carson, and says 'I'm so sorry' while warning his girlfriend, 'Go watch him,' while pointing at the alleged attacker. She then announces that she's calling 911.

According to sources, the suspect threw the weapon in the trash, but then went back to retrieve it.

Authorities recovered the victim's glasses and two of his girlfriend's books from the scene.

Carson's girlfriend held him in her arms before he was taken to Kings County Hospital Center, where he later died.

The day after, she posted a screenshot of a note she found in his phone that read: 'When you get right down to it, all I want is to love Claudia more than she's ever been loved, which is frankly all she's ever deserved.'

She added the caption: 'I found this note in Ryan's phone. He did, he did, he did.'

Anyone with information on the suspect in Carson's murder is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-577-TIPS.