NC Auditor Launches Investigation into Charlotte Transit Security After Fatal Stabbing

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is under investigation following a series of violent incidents, including the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train. North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek has launched an immediate audit focusing on CATS' security measures, private security contracts, public safety metrics, and the safety budget, which recently tripled to nearly $18 million. The investigation follows multiple attacks on veterans using CATS buses earlier in the year, raising concerns about public safety on Charlotte’s transit system. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has initiated a federal investigation into the system’s security and is considering withholding federal funding if deficiencies are found. The Department of Justice charged Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat offender with a violent history, with causing death on a mass transit system in connection to Zarutska's murder. Charlotte city officials have increased security personnel and police patrols in response, but the incident has sparked a partisan debate over public safety responsibilities and policies in the city.