NEW YORK (PIX11)– Mark Carson was openly gay, and proud. Sadly, his life and the freedom to be who he was ended with a single bullet to his face allegedly fired by a raging homophobe with a violent past. The 32-year-old manager of a yogurt store was killed in what was known to be one of his favorite neighborhoods the West Village.
It’s clear he was killed only because and just because he was thought to be gay,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
Police Commissioner Kelly also noted the spike in reports of anti-gay bias attacks, “about 13 up until this time last year. Now we have 22.”
The scene of the shooting in Greenwich Village that claimed the life of Mark Carson.
Eugene Lovendusky is the co-founder of Queer Rising, an LGBT group which monitors such incidents. And he’s shocked by what happened to Mark Carson on Friday around midnight.
“Something like this which is extremely violent should be taken very seriously and for anyone to have fired the gun following what is investigated as anti-gay slurs makes someone like me and people in this neighborhood feel extremely unsafe,” said Eugene Lovendusky.
Commissioner Kelly says the suspect, 33-year-old Elliott Morales, shot Carson in front of his friend, after unleashing a series of anti-gay slurs at them.
Witnesses saw them come up behind them and heard the words faggot and queer at least two times.
Rookie officer Henry Hoyt busted Morales at West Third and MacDougal streets and recovered the gun. Morales has been charged with 2nd degree murder as a hate crime. Two others with him were questioned and cleared.
James
Who cares what the reason is? Murder is murder! Murder is against the law! The reason behind the murder should make no difference. It would have been no less tragic if a straight old lady was murdered for the money in her purse. Hate crime? As opposed to what? The "I really, really like you" type of murder?
Nicole
Because if a straight old lady was killed for the money in her purse, she wouldn't have been killed because of hate. There is a difference between murder and hate crimes. Killing people just because someone hates a certain type of people is different than just killing someone to rob them. I agree, murder is murder no matter which way you look at it but with hate crimes, it makes others feel a lot less safe and spreads fear. I find it sick that people can't just live their lives.
CHLOE
Gay with HIV
You are not alone!