Killing of Iryna Zarutska

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Killing of Iryna Zarutska
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Location	Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Coordinates	35°12′43″N 80°51′33″W / 35.211944°N 80.859167°W / 35.211944; -80.859167
Date	August 22, 2025; 17 days ago (2025-08-22) Before 10 p.m. EDT (UTC−5)
Target	Iryna Zarutska
Attack type	Murder by stabbing
Victim	Iryna Zarutska

The killing of Iryna Zarutska occurred on August 22, 2025, at the East/West Boulevard light rail station on the Lynx Blue Line^[1] in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was fatally stabbed. The killing drew international coverage for Zarutska’s status as a refugee seeking safety in the United States, prompted a public statement from Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles, and leaked 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.^[2][3]

Iryna Zarutska was born on 22 May 2002^[4] in Kyiv, Ukraine, and arrived with her family to the United States in 2022, fleeing the ongoing war following Russia’s invasion of her home country. Zarutska held an art degree from a Kyiv college and was improving her English with hopes of becoming a veterinary assistant.^[5] According to a GoFundMe page created by her family and cited in media reports, Zarutska had settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping for a new beginning.^[2][6][7]

The suspect is a black 34-year-old homeless man named Decarlos Brown, who has previously been arrested multiple times, and convicted of robbery and larceny, with additional charges pending.^[8]

On the evening of August 22, 2025, at approximately 9:55 p.m., Iryna Zarutska was at the East/West Boulevard light rail station in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood. Surveillance footage shows Zarutska boarding the train and sitting in front of the suspect, wearing headphones and using her phone. After four and a half minutes, Zarutsk pulls a pocketknife from his hoodie, and flips it open. He then lunges, holding her head and stabbing her three times in the neck. Zarutska collapses 30 seconds later. Passengers react but initially freeze; one eventually aids her, followed by others. The suspect, seen wiping blood from his hand with his hoodie, exits the train two minutes later.^[9][10]

She was pronounced dead at the scene.^[11][12] The suspect was arrested and taken to Atrium Health for treatment. He was charged with first-degree murder upon his release from the hospital.^[2][13]

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has not disclosed the motive for the attack. The investigation remains ongoing, with CMPD’s Homicide Unit, led by Detective Buhr, urging the public to provide any relevant information.^[2]

The fatal stabbing raised concerns about the safety of Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line. Councilman Edwin Peacock stressed fragile public trust and urged Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and CMPD to review security. CATS confirmed the train operator followed protocol, holding the train until police arrived.^[9]

On September 6 local Charlotte TV channel WBTV quoted the authorities saying that the suspect "did not buy a ticket" and that CATS is "working on ways to keep fare skippers off mass transit", and concluded by emphasizing that the attack "would have been difficult to prevent once he got on the train".^[14] On September 5, 2025, CATS released surveillance video of the stabbing.^[10][15]

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.^[16] The Charlotte Area Transit System said it would seek to increase fare inspections, install new ticket validators, and expand security staffing on trains and platforms.^[17] Mayor Vi Lyles called the killing "senseless and tragic" and urged respect for the victim's family as the investigation continued.^[14] Multiple Charlotte City Council officials and candidates in the 2025 Charlotte mayoral election called for greater action to ensure safety on public transit.^[18]

The Charlotte City council expressed concern that this incident might detract from the upcoming referendum to expand the light rail system in the city. ^[19]

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".^[20][21] United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy publicly blamed Charlotte city officials for the murder, and billionaire Elon Musk criticized judges and district attorneys for allowing "criminals to roam free."^[20] The case also received international coverage, including in Ukraine, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stating it was "in constant contact" with investigators.^[22][23]