Charlotte Man Charged in Fatal Stabbing of Ukrainian Refugee on Transit Train

On August 22, 2025, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte Area Transit System light rail train by Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a lengthy criminal record and prior convictions. The unprovoked attack, caught on surveillance footage, showed Brown stabbing Zarutska multiple times without any prior interaction, leading to her death at the scene. Brown had been released without bond just months before the incident despite a history of arrests and convictions, which critics argue was a catastrophic failure of the justice system. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles described the killing as a "senseless and tragic loss" and emphasized public safety, while some local leaders criticized her response for lacking condemnation of the attacker and accountability for the system's failures. The stabbing has ignited a national debate over public transit safety, refugee protection, and criminal justice reform, with President Donald Trump also speaking out against the incident. Discussions have also focused on mental health, as Brown had been diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to the attack.