Once upon a time, there was a young leftist “social justice advocate” named Ryan Thoresen Carson.

He had the big smile, tousled hair, and wonky glasses so many of these social worker types do, as well as holding many of the ultra-progressive views so currently in vogue.

…[His girlfriend Claudia] Morales, according to now locked-down social media profiles, was an avid BLM activist who, among other remarks, used the cop-hating acronym ACAB in some posts.

Carson wasn’t as forthright in his criticism of law enforcement but he shared the same concern for police brutality.

‘The fact of the matter is I’m f*****g scared.

‘I spent this summer, like many of the past years of my life, watching people I care about get attacked by the police in the streets,’ he said in an October 2020 interview about his poetry.

Judging by the fond remembrances, it seems he really made a difference to the community he had adopted as home.

…Carson – who came to the Big Apple from the Boston area in 2010 to attend Pratt Institute – was an activist focused on sustainability and environmental policies, Krantz said.

Krantz said it was remarkable “how much he actually did for the entire city and for his friends.

“He’s really… like the epicenter of an entire community that he created, that he brought together.

“I don’t think anyone is exaggerating when they say he would give the shirt off his back,” the roommate said. “He was the guy that bent over backward time and time again to be there with his friends.”

He walked 500 miles across NY State, raising money and awareness for overdose prevention centers, something that turned into his life’s mission after losing a close friend to one.

…”I met Ryan when I was 19 and we were both students at Pratt Institute studying writing. Ryan and I actually became close friends because I was experiencing a time in my life where I had nowhere to live and not enough money to eat everyday, to be perfectly frank. Ryan offered me up a space to live, he barely knew me by many measures, and he really helped me through that difficult summer and helped me get back on my feet,” said friend Hannah Holden. “That was how our friendship began and that’s the kind of person he was, he was so incredibly generous, he was so supportive of people, he was an amazing person.”

Carson touched many people’s lives and poured himself into everything he did. He was passionate about a grassroots effort he started after his best friend died of a heroin overdose in 2016.

Through No OD NY, he hoped to create overdose prevention centers all over the state, which was just one example of his desire to change the world and make it a better place.

“He wanted to channel his grief into something that was productive and something that was going to help others,” Holden said.

At 4 a.m. Monday morning, Carson and girlfriend were sitting on a bench at a bus stop in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. They’d just come back from a wedding and were waiting on the next bus, when death in the form of a crazed 18 year old black man shuffled by – then began swearing, kicking at scooters, acting manic.

…Wearing a gray suit, Carson and the young woman, dressed in a blue, sleeveless gown, get up and begin to walk down the block, in the same direction as a man in a dark sweatshirt who had just strolled past the pair at the B38 bus stop, with his hood up over his head and his hands in his pockets.

Just feet ahead of them, the stranger begins kicking scooters parked near the curb for no apparent reason, the footage — obtained by The Post on Tuesday — shows.

Suddenly, the unhinged man turns to Carson and says, “What the f–k are you looking at?”

The beloved community activist — who replied that he wasn’t looking at anything — then stepped between his girlfriend and the irate stranger, who began to advance on the couple.

“I’ll kill you!” the maniac threatens as Carson pleads with him to “Chill! Chill!” and holds up his hand.

His hands wouldn’t be enough. Carson was stabbed through the heart and lay dying in Morales’ arms.

…Dowling pulled out a knife and stabbed Thoresen Carson three times, piercing his heart, according to police. As Thoresen Carson lay on the sidewalk, Dowling kicked him, Kenny said, adding that Dowling then threatened to stab Thoresen Carson’s girlfriend and spat in her face.

A woman — who police say is Dowling’s girlfriend — then approached the couple to apologize. She uttered the name “Brian,” police said.

Thoresen Carson was pronounced dead at 4:18 a.m. on Monday.

The video of the entire encounter is at the link. It’s so senselessly brutal.

My heart goes out to his family and everyone who loved him.

It turns out the suspect was identified from the video and picked up at his home in Bed-Stuy this morning, A home that was only 500 feet from where the “beloved Brooklyn activist” was murdered on the sidewalk.

A suspect is under arrest in connection with the stabbing of beloved Brooklyn activist Ryan Carson.

Detectives were executing a search warrant at suspect Brian Dowling’s Lafayette Avenue home when he was found inside.

He has been charged with murder with depraved indifference and criminal possession of a weapon.

What the NYC DAs do with him thanks to their new bail reform is anyone’s guess. The accused murderer must be special though. At 18, I thought you were an adult.

CBS is protecting him like a victim.

I guess you get your face blurred if you don't turn yourself in. pic.twitter.com/1aXIFIgXwA

— Expose Them (@ExposeDarkDeeds) October 5, 2023

Now, you’d think, considering the hue and cry over this ghastly murder, there’d be chants of “lock him up,” at least to save others from the same fate as Carson.

But I don’t think that’s what Progressives do. They double down and circle the virtue wagons.

Despite the senseless violence, friends of the 32-year-old say it wouldn’t change his outlook on social justice.

‘I know he would have wanted people to use his death as a means to talk about structural wrongs in the city.

‘I’m absolutely positive that he would immediately see that this was a person who was suffering from a lack of resources in our community, who probably needs better mental health support, possibly housing, possibly drug support, drug treatment.

‘What he would want to avenge his death is for us to fix how broken this city is,’ New York State Assembly member Emily Gallagher told The Gothamist.

Completely different thought processes.

…When the roommate heard of Carson’s death, he said, his thoughts immediately turned to those who would be impacted by the tragic loss.

“Who do I call? How do I let people know?” he said he thought.

But the alleged attacker hadn’t crossed his mind as much, he said.

“[The suspect] is the least important part of this conversation,” the roomie added. “I have no feelings of vengeance and I don’t think that’s healthy. I’m not angry about that.”

I’d be so pissed I’d be shaking.

And I’ve never seen a memorial GoFundMe quite like this one in Carson’s name. Aren’t they usually to keep a roof over the bereaved family’s head, help with funeral expenses, offset medical bills if those were a factor – I mean, necessities for a family in time of need?

This is to help all the friends take time off “to grieve.”

…Immediate needs are to offset the costs of working class people taking time off from work to properly mourn…

WHUT

I’m not the only one who noticed that something seemed a little…off.

This is incredible. I heard about the Ryan Carson GoFundMe and assumed it was for funeral costs. Nope. His friends are raising money for themselves. https://t.co/PhU87oZpiA

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) October 5, 2023

It’s their money, but what a case study.

Progressives have different thought processes.

And they sure are shamelessly creative with raising the cash.

*UPDATED*: Damn. Just damn

Damn. He was entitled to work for his beliefs, however vile. to my eyes and probably yours.

But what has his advocating for those beliefs cost others who had no voice?

That’s the unforgivable part.

.