A homophobic gunman shot and killed a 32-year-old man at point-blank range after he unleashed a series of anti-gay slurs at the victim on a Greenwich Village street, cops said Saturday.
The unidentified suspect fired a single round into Mark Carson’s head on W. Eighth St. near Sixth Ave. on Friday night, after he taunted the gay man who was walking with a friend, cops said.
The hate-filled shooter — who police were still trying to identify late Saturday because he was carrying a fake ID — was with two pals when he first approached Carson and his friend on Sixth Ave. about midnight, police said.
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Sources said Carson and his 31-year-old friend were dressed in tank tops and cut-off shorts with boots.
Read more: Gunman shoots 32-year-old Mark Carson dead in Greenwich Village bias attack: officials* - NY Daily News
“Look at these f-----s,” one of the suspect’s crew barked at the pair. “What are you, gay wrestlers?”
The two groups exchanged words, but Carson and his pal decided it was better to walk away.
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But as they turned the corner, the suspect and one of his cohorts confronted the pair again and taunted them by shouting “f----t” and “queer,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
One of the bigots got nervous and ran away as the suspect asked the two gay men, “Do you want to die here?” Kelly said.
Read more: Gunman shoots 32-year-old Mark Carson dead in Greenwich Village bias attack: officials* - NY Daily News
Suddenly, the suspect whipped out a silver .38-caliber revolver and shot Carson in the face. The shooter ran away as Carson collapsed on the sidewalk.
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As emergency crews rushed Carson to Beth Israel Hospital, rookie cop Henry Huot was responding to the job and spotted the gunman at W. Third and MacDougal Sts. — where he ordered the suspect to stop.
“The perpetrator does stop, crouches down and takes out a silver revolver and throws it to the ground,” Kelly said.
The suspect was cuffed as Carson died on arrival at the hospital.
Read more: Gunman shoots 32-year-old Mark Carson dead in Greenwich Village bias attack: officials* - NY Daily News
So demonic