Chanting “We're here! We're queer!
Homophobia's got to go!” thousands took to the streets of Manhattan
on Monday to protest the murder of Mark Carson.
Carson, 32, died just after midnight on
Friday at the hands of a gunman who hurled homophobic remarks before
he allegedly pulled out a .38 caliber revolver and killed Carson with
one bullet to the head.
Carson is the fourth victim of anti-gay
violence in the city over the last several weeks, but the first
fatality.
Officials are holding Elliot Morales,
33, without bail in connection with Carson's death. Morales, who,
according to The
New York Times, served more than 10 years in prison for a
robbery conviction, reportedly laughed as police arrested him.
“He's nice,” Ama Dakey, a friend of
the victim, told CNN. “I don't know why people can kill somebody
because he's gay.”
Dave Sheridan, who worked alongside
Carson at Ciao Bella Gelato, agreed, saying the victim was “a lot
of fun to work with.”
“Always had a smile. Always
cheerful. Always in a great mood, even when he wasn't in a great
mood he was always in a good mood. Just a really good person,”
Sheridan said.