Ukrainian Woman Stabbed on Train Sparks National Justice Reform

BY: CARESSE LIANG / STAFF WRITER

Iryna Zarutska, dressed in black, sitting in front of Decarlos Brown Jr., moments before the fatal stabbing on the train. (PHOTO CREDIT: BBC)

On Aug. 22 at 10 P.M., Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on her way home while riding a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. She sat in front of 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., who appeared to be secluded. After four minutes, Brown abruptly pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed Zarutska three times from behind before fleeing the train.

Zarutska, who was in shock, remained conscious for nearly a minute before collapsing from blood loss; she was pronounced dead at the scene. While Brown managed to leave the train, he was promptly arrested two minutes later by police on the platform and transported to the hospital for a hand wound. 

Brown was charged with first-degree murder and causing a death on mass transportation on Sept. 9 by the North Carolina state court and federal court. If convicted, he can face either life imprisonment with no parole or the death penalty.

Zarutska’s death sparked international debate over the safety of public transit and the treatment of repeat offenders in the criminal system. In particular, the focus was shifted towards Brown’s extensive criminal history; he had spent five years in prison for an armed robbery with a firearm, and 14 other cases for minor offenses since 2007. 

Brown’s mugshot following the murder charge in the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. (PHOTO CREDIT: CNN)

Additional information brought forward Brown’s mental health and his behavior after his release in 2020. According to his sister, Tracey Brown, he “didn’t seem like himself,” and he struggled [with] holding conversations and jobs.” She continued,“[a] person that is hearing voices in their head and believes the world is against them, they’re going to break,” she told CNN.

Multiple Charlotte City Council members and the Charlotte Area Transit System, or CATS, rallied to call for greater action and revisions to North Carolina’s criminal justice policies by heightening security, increasing fare inspections, and “[adding] more bike patrols to the rail trail.”

As of Sep. 22, the North Carolina Senate passed House Bill 307, named “Iryna’s Law,” which follows through with the proposed plans for safer transportation, tightens the conditions for pretrial release for violent offenders, and requires mental health evaluations based on the suspect’s criminal history. Most importantly, it aims to continue death penalty executions for more than 120 people on North Carolina’s death row. 

While it is important to highlight the circumstances that caused this incident, it should be noted that most of the articles that discuss this murder solely focus on Brown instead of Zarutska. The state of mind and the motives tied to this case led to a tragic death that undervalued the aspirations and future that Zarutska emigrated here for. 

Following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Zarutska, along with her mother, sister, and younger brother, immigrated to the United States in 2022. For the next three years, she built her life through building strong relationships with the community around her—and she had been regarded as “a very, very caring person,” according to her uncle.

While those who remained in the United States were able to attend her funeral, her father, who currently resides in Ukraine, could not attend it in person. Internationally, her death sparked numerous murals and a candlelight vigil in Charlotte for both her and other victims of transit-related violence. 

A woman holds a candle, paying respects for Zarutska at the candlelight vigil in Charlotte. (PHOTO CREDIT: CNN)

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, paid tribute to Zarutska, and the Ukrainian Embassy offered to help bring back her remains to Ukraine; the family declined as she “had fallen so much in love with the American dream."

The story of Iryna Zarutska triggered a period of justice and change towards North Carolina’s legal system, setting a new tone for safety on public transportation. In the years to come, the hope is that the pain and sorrow from this will pave the way for a secure future through the convictions of repeat offenders and the implementation of stricter safety measures.