Edited by: Diana George – Updated Sep 7, 2025, 11:56 IST – Times Now News

The random stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light rail train has sparked outrage across the US.

The murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train has triggered widespread outrage across the United States, with many blaming systemic failures for allowing a repeat offender to commit the crime.

On social media, anger poured in after the release of surveillance footage capturing Zarutska’s final moments. Popular commentator Benny Johnson wrote: “She ran from war in Ukraine. She came here for safety. And America FAILED her. 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska was butchered on a Charlotte light rail, her throat cut open by a violent repeat offender who had been arrested 14 times and was STILL free. This wasn’t random. This was preventable. There is a war on White people. Her blood is on the hands of a system that lets violent criminals roam while innocent people pay the price. If Iryna were Black and her killer White, the media would be rioting nonstop. But because she’s White, they stay silent. This is evil. And it’s deliberate.”

Another user noted: “The murderer of Iryna Zarutska had been arrested FOURTEEN TIMES before. It’s beyond ridiculous that this monster had not yet been permanently locked up. The state is partly responsible for her death.”

Right Angle News Network claimed: “BREAKING – Several progressive members of Charlotte city leadership reportedly took deliberate steps to delay or completely block the release of the light rail stabbing footage of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska by Decarlos Brown Jr. You can’t hate these people enough.”

Others shared their shock, with one writing: “This is the moment an innocent woman was slaughtered simply for sitting down in front of the wrong guy. Demons! Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman, was attacked on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22, 2025. The suspect in this case is identified as Decarlos Brown Jr., 34.” Another comment read: “Death penalty? So sorry to see this. Tragic.”

Surveillance Video Shows the Attack

The video, released Friday by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), shows Zarutska boarding the Lynx Blue Line train at 9:46 pm, still in her pizzeria uniform, and scrolling on her phone. Just four minutes later, police say, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless ex-convict, pulled out a folding knife and stabbed her three times, including once in the neck.

As Zarutska collapsed clutching her throat, Brown stripped off his sweatshirt, walked through the car, and waited near the doors as passengers began to notice blood dripping from him. He exited at the next stop, where police later recovered a knife. Zarutska was pronounced dead on the train.

Suspect’s Criminal Record

Brown has a long history of arrests dating back to 2011 and has now been charged with first-degree murder. His record includes larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. According to WSOC-TV, he previously served five years in prison for armed robbery.

Court documents cited by the Charlotte Observer reveal that in January he was arrested for misusing 911 during a welfare check, claiming a “man-made” material inside his body was controlling his movements.

Questions Over Transit Safety

According to Spectrum News, it took police six minutes to respond to the stabbing. Security guards were on the train but in a different car at the time of the attack.

CATS officials said they have since tripled their security budget, hired a chief safety and security officer, and begun upgrading outdated surveillance cameras. On September 22, the Charlotte city council will debate expanding police patrols across buses and trains.

Officials also confirmed the video was released only after repeated media requests. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities search for a motive in what police have described as a random attack.

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