Iryna Zarutska Charlotte, NC Stabbing – The Charlotte community is mourning the tragic death of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack on August 22, 2025, while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail. Authorities have identified the suspect as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a history of mental illness and prior criminal convictions. The shocking incident has sparked outrage, grief, and calls for stronger safety measures on Charlotte’s public transit system.

Zarutska had been returning home from her shift at a local pizzeria when the violent assault took place. According to surveillance footage from the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), Brown attacked her without warning, stabbing her multiple times in the neck and throat. Witnesses reported chaos on board the train as passengers scrambled for safety.

Police stated that Brown was “fare-jumping” at the time of the incident and exited the train moments after the attack. Officers quickly apprehended him on the platform, preventing further harm.

Originally from Ukraine, Zarutska fled with her family in 2022 to escape the Russian invasion. Her loved ones said she sought “peace and safety” in Charlotte, hoping to rebuild her life in the U.S. Known for her kindness and dedication to helping her family, Zarutska’s death has left her relatives and the broader immigrant community devastated.

Her family issued a statement expressing heartbreak and anger: “Iryna survived war, only to be killed in a place she thought was safe. We want a full investigation and real change to ensure this never happens again.”

The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., has a documented history of schizophrenia and paranoid delusions. His sister revealed in interviews that he believed Zarutska was “reading his mind.” A judge has ordered a mental competency evaluation, and he now faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder.

On the federal level, Brown has been charged with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system—an offense that could carry the death penalty.

The attack has generated significant public outrage, especially after CATS released graphic video footage of the stabbing. Social media erupted with criticism over the lack of intervention by fellow passengers, though others defended the bystanders, emphasizing that responsibility rests with the attacker and systemic failures in security.

In response, Charlotte officials announced increased security measures on the light rail system, including more officers and surveillance presence. Still, the tragedy has sparked wider debates about mental health care, transit safety, and the criminal justice system’s handling of individuals with severe psychiatric conditions.

Zarutska’s death is now at the center of an international conversation about how communities balance public safety with mental health care, and how systems can fail vulnerable people like her.