NYC: Candlelight vigil held in West Village for shooting victim of anti-gay hate crime

All photos via JMG

Late last night, hundreds attended a candlelight vigil in Greenwich Village to remember Mark Carson, who was shot and killed in a hate crime just hours earlier. Speaker after speaker exhorted the crowd: "Say his name! Mark Carson, Mark Carson, MARK CARSON!"

The event was organized by Adam Feldman and speakers included activists Eugene Lovendusky, Robert Pinter, and Brendan Fay. Among the local politicos in attendance were state Sen. Brad Hoylman, state Assemblyman Micah Kellner, and City Council candidate Corey Johnson.

According to Joe Jervis at JoeMyGod, speaker after speaker exhorted the crowd: "Say his name!" Everybody: "Mark Carson, Mark Carson, MARK CARSON!"

On Monday there will be a rally at the LGBT Community Center at 5:30PM, followed by a march to the scene of the murder.

CNN has named the alleged suspect in custody. He reportedly confessed to the NYPD early this morning.

Around 4 a.m., a police officer, responding to a radio alert of the shooting, came across the alleged gunman and apprehended him. The suspect turned over a silver Taurus .38-caliber six-shot revolver, according to police.

Police later identified the suspect as Elliot Morales, 33. Police said the suspect had forged identification and they used facial recognition technology to determine his true identity.

Morales faces a charge of second-degree murder as a hate crime, authorities said. The identities of the suspect's two companions -- at least one of whom Kelly said left the suspect before the shooting -- are still not known.

(from JMG)