A young Ukrainian woman who came to the United States seeking safety from the horrors of war was brutally stabbed to death on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina — and police say the attack was completely unprovoked.
Authorities say 34-year-old Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 23-year-old artist Iryna “Ira” Zarutska on August 22. The shocking incident happened just before 10 p.m. aboard the Charlotte Area Transit System’s LYNX Blue Line train at the East/West Boulevard station in the city’s South End.
According to police, surveillance footage shows Zarutska boarding the train and sitting directly in front of Brown. For nearly five minutes, the two had no interaction — and then, without warning, Brown allegedly pulled out a knife, paused for a moment, stood up, and began stabbing Zarutska repeatedly, including at least once in the throat. Investigators say she had no chance to defend herself.
“The footage shows no words exchanged, no provocation,” an affidavit obtained by The Charlotte Observer reads. “The defendant is the assailant on the video.”
Blood pooled onto the train floor as Zarutska collapsed. Brown allegedly walked away calmly, leaving her lifeless body behind. Police responding to the scene found him standing on a nearby outbound platform, matching witness descriptions and sporting a fresh cut on his right hand. Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family and friends say Zarutska came to the U.S. to escape the violence in her home country of Ukraine and start a new life. “Ira had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning,” a GoFundMe for her family reads. “Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon.”
“She was always very helpful, very supportive, and just had a heart of gold,” a family friend told WCNC. “She was a sweetheart. And it makes me sick to think that she’s gone.”
Brown is no stranger to law enforcement. Court records show he has been arrested five times since 2022 and has faced 16 criminal cases in Mecklenburg County since 2013. He previously served five years in state prison for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny. In 2022, he was arrested again for allegedly assaulting a woman and damaging property.
Police say there is still no known motive for the random, brutal attack.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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