The killing drew international coverage for Zarutska's status as a refugee seeking safety in the United States and prompted statements from public figures including Mayor of Charlotte, North CarolinaVi Lyles, Governor of North CarolinaJosh Stein, and President of the United StatesDonald Trump. Footage of the killing sparked outrage on social media, leading to policy discussions about transit security, fare enforcement, and gaps in the criminal justice and mental health systems.[4][5] In North Carolina, the killing prompted the passage of House Bill 307, dubbed "Iryna's Law", which set out various criminal law reforms, including seeking to resume capital punishment in the state.
Background
Iryna Zarutska (Ukrainian: Ірина Заруцька, 22 May 2002–22 August 2025)[6][a] was born in Kyiv, Ukraine,[9] and was 23 years old when she died.[10] Zarutska studied at Synergy College in Kyiv and earned a degree in art and restoration.[11] Following the 2022 Russian invasion, the Zarutska family moved from their apartment to a small bomb shelter, where they lived for months. Iryna, her mother, her sister, and her younger brother immigrated to the United States during 2022. Her father remained in Ukraine, as the martial law in vigor prevented men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country; he was later unable to attend her funeral in the United States.[12] In Huntersville, North Carolina, Iryna took various jobs and began learning English. Her boyfriend gave her driving lessons, since the family had never owned a car.[13] Zarutska enrolled in college classes and found work at a pizzeria in Charlotte. On the night of the attack, Zarutska had finished a shift there and was commuting home on the Lynx Blue Line.[14]
The 34-year-old suspect, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., had been arrested 14 times in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, before the stabbing, with criminal charges dating back to 2007.[15][16] On April 11, 2014, he was convicted of breaking and entering. While on probation, he was arrested for armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.[16] Brown was convicted of armed robbery and incarcerated in state prison from 2015 to September 2020.[17][16] Upon release, he initially lived with his family, but his mother told ABC News that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia at this point and displayed violent behavior at home.[17] His mother said that she had sought involuntary commitment, but that it was denied. The Associated Press reported that involuntary commitments are difficult to obtain unless a court finds the person to be dangerous.[18] North Carolina reduced the capacity of state hospitals in the early 2000s, and the average wait time for a psychiatric bed was 16 days in 2024.[19] After Brown stopped taking psychiatric medication, his mother took him to a homeless shelter.[17] In January 2025, he repeatedly called 911 about a "man-made material" inside him that was controlling his body. Brown was charged with misuse of 911 and released without bond.[20]
Killing
On August 22, 2025, the perpetrator spent several hours riding on the Lynx Blue Line, during which surveillance footage showed him "making unusual movements" and laughing to himself. At 8:18 PM, he was passed by two Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) security officials, but did not interact with them.[1] Local Charlotte television channel WBTV later quoted authorities as saying that the perpetrator "did not have a ticket to ride the train".[21]
At 9:46 PM that evening, Zarutska boarded the Lynx Blue Line at the Scaleybark station in Charlotte's South End neighborhood.[1][11] Surveillance footage shows Zarutska sitting in front of the perpetrator, who was already seated on the train. Four minutes after Zarutska boarded, the perpetrator pulled a pocketknife from his hoodie and stabbed Zarutska three times from behind, including at least once in the neck.[22][23] Zarutska remained conscious or semi-conscious for nearly a minute before bleeding out and collapsing on the floor.[24] No security personnel were present in the train car, though there were officers on board the train one car ahead.[25][26] At least four other people were sitting near Zarutska during the stabbing, and passengers provided assistance after she collapsed on the floor.[24] Zarutska became "unresponsive" shortly after the stabbing[16] and was pronounced dead at the scene.[27][28] A Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit stated that she had one stab wound in the middle of her neck and a small cut on her left knee.[29] After the attack, the perpetrator is reported to have said "I got that white girl."[30][31]
Brown exited the train two minutes following the stabbing, and was arrested by police on the platform.[32][25][23] He was transported for treatment for a hand wound.[16]Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) named Brown as the suspect, and it did not disclose the motive for the attack.[33]
Legal proceedings
Following Brown's arrest, a judge ordered a 60-day psychological evaluation at a local hospital.[34] On September 15, 2025, Brown was indicted by a grand jury. He was charged in North Carolina state court with first-degree murder[3][4] and in federal court with committing an act causing death on a mass-transportation system.[2][35][36][37][38] He is being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center without bond.[39] The investigation remains ongoing, with CMPD's homicide unit encouraging the public to provide any relevant information.[4]
Zarutska's death raised concerns about the safety of Charlotte's Lynx Blue Line. Charlotte City Council member Edwin Peacock III stressed fragile public trust and urged CATS and CMPD to review security. CATS confirmed the train operator followed protocol, holding the train until police arrived.[25] On September 5, 2025, CATS released surveillance video of the stabbing.[23][41] Following the killing, local officials and the district attorney publicly discussed gaps in Mecklenburg County's mental health and justice systems, using the case as an example in debates over how courts handle defendants with serious mental illness.[19] Mayor Vi Lyles called the killing "senseless and tragic", and urged respect for the victim's family as the investigation continued.[42] Multiple Charlotte City Council officials and candidates in the 2025 Charlotte mayoral election called for greater action to ensure safety on public transit.[43]Dimple Ajmera, another member of Charlotte City Council, said of the crime, "Clearly, our current safety policies are not enough", and expressed concern that fear of crime in the transportation system might affect an upcoming referendum to expand the city's light rail system.[44] CATS said it would seek to increase fare inspections, install new ticket validators, and expand security staffing on trains and platforms.[45] On September 22, Charlotte City Council agreed to expand the scope of Professional Police Services LLC, a private security contractor appointed to carry out safety monitoring on the Lynx Blue Line, to include sidewalks and other areas adjacent to transit centers.[46][47]
The killing garnered national attention in the United States, particularly from right-wing political commentators, and was described by The Charlotte Observer as having become "politicized".[48][49]Conservative commentators accused mainstream media of not covering the Charlotte killing, which involved a white victim and a black suspect, as much as the Jordan Neely case where the situation was opposite.[50]U.S. Secretary of TransportationSean Duffy publicly blamed public transit and Charlotte City Council officials for the killing,[51] and Elon Musk criticized judges and district attorneys for allowing "criminals to roam free".[48] Speaking at the Museum of the Bible on September 8, U.S. PresidentDonald Trump called the attacker a "madman" and "lunatic", and said that "when you have horrible killings, you have to take horrible actions. And the actions that we take are nothing", before blaming local officials in places like Chicago for failing to stop crime and denounced cashless bail.[52] On the same day, the White House released a statement criticizing "North Carolina's Democrat politicians, prosecutors, and judges" for "prioritizing woke agendas that fail to protect their citizens".[53] On September 9, the White House released a video in which Trump said that Zarutska was "slaughtered by a deranged monster".[54] On September 24, U.S. Vice PresidentJD Vance discussed the killing in a visit to Concord, North Carolina, blaming it on "soft-on-crime policies" and stating he was "open" to deploying the North Carolina National Guard to Charlotte if requested by Governor Stein and Mayor Lyles.[55] The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary held a field hearing in Charlotte on September 29 on safety in public transit systems and the treatment of repeat offenders.[46][56]
At a state level, North Carolina governorJosh Stein called for "more cops on the beat", for the state legislature to pass a law enforcement package to address vacancies,[61] and for review of the pretrial system.[46] State lawmakers introduced a criminal law reform bill – House Bill 307, dubbed "Iryna's Law" – in the North Carolina General Assembly on September 22.[46] Iryna's Law was passed 28–8 by the North Carolina Senate on September 22 and 81–31 by the North Carolina House of Representatives on September 23, and signed into law by Stein on October 3.[62][63] Measures set out in Iryna's Law include:
Defining a category of violent offenses for which a judge or magistrate would be required to impose conditions for pretrial release such as GPS monitoring.[64][65]
Establishing a protocol for requiring court officials to order mental health evaluations.[64][65]
Requiring appeals against death sentences to be heard by the end of 2027.[64]
Giving the North Carolina chief justice the ability to suspend magistrates.[66]
Establishing that the victim using public transportation at the time of the crime as an aggravating factor when seeking the death penalty.[64]
On August 31, 2025, a candlelight vigil in Charlotte honored Zarutska and other recent victims of transit-related violence.[70] North Carolina officials also announced a candlelight vigil to mark 30 days after her death, scheduled for September22 at the East/West Boulevard station.[71] Her family elected to bury Zarutska in the United States.[72][73]
Zarutska's death inspired numerous murals across the United States for which funds have been raised.[74] In September 2025, American rapper DaBaby released the song "Save Me" dedicated to Zarutska, with a video re-enacting the event but with DaBaby saving Zarutska.[75]
↑ Bogdan, F. (1974). Dictionary of Ukrainian Surnames in Canada. Winnipeg: Onomastic Commission of UVAN / Canadian Institute of Onomastic Sciences. p.338.
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