A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who fled the war in her homeland to find safety in the United States was brutally murdered in Charlotte — a crime that has ignited fury online and raised questions about public safety in American cities.
Police say Iryna Zarutska was stabbed multiple times on a Charlotte light rail train in August, including at least once in the throat. Surveillance footage of the horrific attack, released this week by CBS-affiliated WBTV, shows the young woman moments before she was targeted.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police identified the suspect as Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, a homeless man with a lengthy criminal history. He was taken to Atrium Health for non-life-threatening injuries at the time of the incident and has since been charged with first-degree murder.
Online, the case has triggered intense anger. “She ran from war in Ukraine. She came here for safety. And America FAILED her,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X. Another viral post said she was “killed by a thug with several prior arrests for violent crimes in Charlotte.”
Who is Decarlos Brown Jr ?
Court records reveal Brown’s troubling past. According to reports by the New York Post and Daily Mail, he has spent much of his adult life cycling in and out of prison.
Despite his long record, Brown was free at the time of the fatal stabbing.
Shock and Grief
The murder of Zarutska, who had escaped a war zone only to die violently in a country she sought refuge in, has struck a painful chord. Critics say the case highlights systemic failures — from mental health lapses to repeat offender leniency.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
Police say Iryna Zarutska was stabbed multiple times on a Charlotte light rail train in August, including at least once in the throat. Surveillance footage of the horrific attack, released this week by CBS-affiliated WBTV, shows the young woman moments before she was targeted.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police identified the suspect as Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, a homeless man with a lengthy criminal history. He was taken to Atrium Health for non-life-threatening injuries at the time of the incident and has since been charged with first-degree murder.
Online, the case has triggered intense anger. “She ran from war in Ukraine. She came here for safety. And America FAILED her,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X. Another viral post said she was “killed by a thug with several prior arrests for violent crimes in Charlotte.”
Who is Decarlos Brown Jr ?
Court records reveal Brown’s troubling past. According to reports by the New York Post and Daily Mail, he has spent much of his adult life cycling in and out of prison.
- 2011 onwards: Dozens of charges, including felony larceny, armed robbery, and communicating threats.
- 2015–2020: Served five years in prison for armed robbery.
- 2020: Months after release, arrested for assaulting his own sister.
- January 2024: Charged with misusing the 911 system after a bizarre episode where he claimed a “man-made material” inside his body was controlling his actions, according to The Charlotte Observer.
Despite his long record, Brown was free at the time of the fatal stabbing.
Shock and Grief
The murder of Zarutska, who had escaped a war zone only to die violently in a country she sought refuge in, has struck a painful chord. Critics say the case highlights systemic failures — from mental health lapses to repeat offender leniency.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
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