Feds file charges, say woman was victim of unprovoked attack on Charlotte train Christopher Cann, USA TODAYSeptember 10, 2025 at 5:40 AM 0 The Department of Justice has charged a man in the fatal stabbing of a 23yearold Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, North Carolina, the latest case fueling the Trum...
- - Feds file charges, say woman was victim of unprovoked attack on Charlotte train
Christopher Cann, USA TODAYSeptember 10, 2025 at 5:40 AM
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The Department of Justice has charged a man in the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, North Carolina, the latest case fueling the Trump administration's criticisms of how crime is handled in cities run by Democrats.
Decarlos Brown, 34, faces a charge of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system in connection with the stabbing that killed Iryna Zarutska on Aug. 22 inside a light rail car. He also faces a previously filed state charge of first-degree murder in the case that authorities have described as an unprovoked attack.
"We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence – he will never again see the light of day as a free man," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
Iryna Zarutska, 23, a Ukrainian refugee, is pictured in an undated photo.
The announcement came after President Donald Trump denounced the killing, in a video posted on X by the White House, and said it was an example of rampant violence in Democratic-run cities.
"She was slaughtered by a deranged monster who was roaming free after 14 prior arrests," Trump said, holding up an image from surveillance footage showing the moment before Zarutska was stabbed. "We cannot allow a depraved criminal element of violent offenders to continue spreading destruction and death throughout our country."
Police say Brown repeatedly struck Zarutska from behind with a pocketknife while they were riding on the Charlotte Area Transit System light rail train.
Video footage of the incident was released late last week and ignited a political firestorm, prompting Republicans to call for the mayor of Charlotte to step down. Critics used the violent attack to justify an expansion of Trump's crackdown on crime in cities run by Democrats.
Brown has a long criminal history and spent several years in prison for armed robbery.
Zarutska arrived in the U.S. three years ago with her mother and siblings after fleeing Russia's war in Ukraine. She was a "passionate and gifted artist" and had dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant, her obituary says.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks on a fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska aboard a North Carolina train during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 9, 2025.Charlotte mayor promises to boost security amid backlash
The mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, has pledged to ramp up security and law enforcement presence on the city's transit system in the wake of criticism of her response to the fatal stabbing. Lyles also directed blame at the state's legal system, saying in a statement that the stabbing represents "a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates."
"Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety," Lyles said. "We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders who do not face consequences for their actions and those who cannot get treatment for their mental illness and are allowed to be on the streets."
Lyles' statement comes after she faced backlash for saying that people with mental health issues should be treated with "compassion" and thanking those who chose not to share graphic footage of the attack.
United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said local leaders failed Zarutska "by failing to properly punish" Brown and announced the Department of Transportation would investigate the city.
"Charlotte's Mayor doesn't want the media to show you the ugly truth. Why? Because she and other public officials in her city bear responsibility," Duffy said on Sept. 7.
Michael Stolp, a spokesperson for Mecklenburg County's District Attorney's Office, declined to comment on the case to USA TODAY, citing the state's rules of professional conduct. But District Attorney Spencer Merriweather told Axios that public safety threats could be addressed well before they reach the court system.
It's "significant that our community is focusing its attention not only on public safety, but also how mental health impacts public safety," Merriweather told the outlet. "But we're at the very beginning of a conversation, not an end of one."
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Federal charges in Iryna Zarutska stabbing on Charlotte train
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