Tragic Stabbing on Charlotte Light Rail: The Death of Iryna Zarutska
On August 22, 2025, 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who had fled the war in her home country, was fatally stabbed while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Zarutska boarded the train after work and sat down. Surveillance video showed 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. seated behind her. Moments later, he stood up and stabbed her multiple times in the neck and body in an unprovoked attack. She died on the train despite attempts by passengers to help.
Brown was arrested shortly after exiting the train and faces first-degree murder charges in state court, plus federal charges for violence on a mass transportation system (death penalty possible). He had a long criminal history prior to the incident.
The case led to "Iryna's Law" in North Carolina, implementing criminal justice reforms. It drew national attention, including mentions in political speeches.
A senseless loss of a young woman seeking safety and a new start in America.
