CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The family of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old refugee stabbed to death on a Charlotte light rail, issued a statement following the release of security footage that showed the Ukrainian woman’s death.

Family response

Zarutska was killed on Aug. 22 while riding the Charlotte Area Transportation System’s (CATS) Blue Line light rail.

“We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way,” said a family spokesperson in an official release on Wednesday, Sept. 10. “No family should have to go through this.”

Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was arrested on Aug. 28 and charged with first-degree murder. During a court appearance, Zarutska’s uncle described her as a “sweet angel.”

Zarutska’s family has requested that the public and media stop sharing footage of her death. Additionally, they called for change.

“This could have been anyone riding the light rail that night,” said the family. “We are committed to making sure this never happens again.”

The family has requested a full investigation into what they called “lapses in security protocols and failures within the public transportation system.

Proposed safety changes

CATS came under fire shortly after her death over various safety concerns.

Charlotte Mayor and Metropolitan Transit Commission Chair Vi Lyles called for a special meeting of the MTC on Sept. 3, when CATS interim CEO Brent Cagle and Chief Safety and Security Officer Eric Osnes laid out proposed safety initiatives.

Among those were increased fare enforcement as they did not believe Brown had a ticket the night of the stabbing.

An increase in armed and unarmed security guards and contracted police officers was also discussed.

Lyles released a letter on Sept. 8 announcing a stronger security presence along Blue Line platforms, bike units, and urban terrain vehicles.

The proposed changes have to be approved by the Metro Transit Commission before they can go into effect. The commission will next meet on Sept. 22.

Nationwide response

Politicians at the city, state and country levels responded throughout the last few weeks.

Local and state Republicans held a press conference on Sept. 10 to speak about transit safety.

On the same day, Charlotte Councilman Malcolm Graham held a press conference to address safety concerns.

President Donald Trump took to social media that morning to call for the death penalty against Brown. The day before, he issued a video message calling out Brown’s history as someone with a criminal history.

Charges against Brown

On Sept. 9, the Department of Justice and FBI announced they filed a criminal charge against Brown, one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said that more federal charges were possible.

Decarlos Brown Jr. was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

A judge ordered him to undergo a competency hearing based on prior mental health concerns. Earlier in the year, court filings reported that Brown believed a “man-made” material was controlling when he ate, walked, and talked.

Weeks before he was accused of killing Zarutska, Brown’s public defender filed a motion questioning Brown’s capacity to proceed with that case.

As of this article’s writing, no motive was given for Zarutska’s killing.

Tragic Revelation: Iryna Zarutska’s Family Grapples with Heartbreaking Surveillance Footage

In a moment that has left an entire community reeling, the family of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, gathered in anguish to review the surveillance footage of her final moments. What began as a routine viewing session turned into an emotional torrent as tears flowed freely among her loved ones. But at the six-minute mark, a chilling silhouette reflected in the glass door of the light rail train froze the room in stunned silence. The image—a shadowy figure lurking behind her—crystallized the horror of what was to come. “If only we hadn’t let her do this one week ago,” her uncle lamented in a recent interview, his voice cracking with regret. “Everything would have changed completely.”

Iryna Zarutska’s story is one of hope shattered by unimaginable violence. Fleeing the ravages of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Iryna arrived in the United States with her mother, sister, and brother, seeking safety and a fresh start in Charlotte, North Carolina. At just 21 years old upon her arrival, she embodied resilience. A talented artist with a degree in Art and Restoration from Synergy College in Kyiv, Iryna quickly adapted to her new life. She enrolled at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to improve her English and pursued her dream of becoming a veterinary assistant, often volunteering to care for neighbors’ pets. Her family described her as having “a heart of gold,” always helpful and supportive, the “glue of the family.”

By May 2025, Iryna had moved in with her boyfriend, embracing independence while working part-time at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria in Uptown Charlotte. It was a job she loved, donning her uniform with pride and sharing laughs with colleagues. “She was an incredible employee and a true friend,” the pizzeria posted in a heartfelt tribute after her death, vowing to keep a candle burning in her memory. Friends recall her vibrant spirit—dancing at barbecues, playing cards late into the night, and splashing in pools during lazy summer afternoons. A recently shared tribute video by her close friends captures these joyful moments: Iryna mixing drinks, hugging pals, and beaming with laughter against the Charlotte skyline. “She was full of life and hope,” one friend said. “A daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, and an artist.”

But on the evening of August 22, 2025, that life was brutally cut short. Iryna boarded the Lynx Blue Line light rail around 9:45 p.m., heading home from her shift at the pizzeria. Still in her work T-shirt and earbuds in, she took the first available seat in a nearly empty car, oblivious to the danger seated just behind her. The surveillance footage, released by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department on September 8, captures the harrowing sequence in stark clarity.

For the first few minutes, the video shows a mundane commute. Iryna scrolls on her phone, curled up with her knees to her chest, hand near her mouth—perhaps lost in thought or listening to music. Behind her sits Decarlos Brown Jr., a 35-year-old homeless man with a lengthy criminal history spanning over a decade. Brown, who had been released from a hospital that very morning after a mental health evaluation, unfolds a pocket knife with deliberate calm. At approximately the 4:30 mark, he rises and lunges, stabbing Iryna in the throat in an unprovoked attack. She collapses to the floor within seconds, gasping for air as blood pools around her. Brown, now wandering the car with the bloody knife in hand, drips crimson across the seats. Shockingly, nearby passengers barely react—some glance but continue sitting, a deafening silence enveloping the scene.

The footage cuts off just before the fatal plunge, but what follows is equally disturbing. Brown calmly removes his hoodie, waits for the train to stop at the next station, and exits as if nothing had happened. Iryna was pronounced dead at the scene, her phone’s location pinging the station long after her family expected her home.

Brown’s background paints a picture of a system in failure. With at least 14 prior arrests, including a five-year sentence for armed robbery in 2014 and an assault on his sister in 2021, he had been in and out of custody repeatedly. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, he suffered from hallucinations and paranoia, once telling his sister he attacked Iryna because “she was reading my mind.” Despite a pending mental health evaluation, he was free on the streets. Now facing federal first-degree murder charges, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeking the maximum penalty, his case has ignited national debate on public safety, mental health, and criminal justice reform.

For Iryna’s family, the video’s release was a double-edged sword. Gathered in their Charlotte home shortly after the footage went public, they watched it together for the first time—simultaneously with the world. Tears came immediately as Iryna appeared on screen, alive and unaware. “We burst into tears seeing her there, so young and full of dreams,” her uncle, who spoke on behalf of the family, recounted to ABC News. The room filled with sobs as the minutes ticked by, each second a reminder of the life she was building.

Then, at the six-minute mark, the silhouette emerged—a dark reflection in the glass door, Brown’s form materializing like a specter. The family fell silent, the weight of inevitability crashing down. No words could capture the horror; it was as if time itself paused. “It was just terrible, absolutely terrible,” the uncle said, his voice trembling. “You see her take the first seat available, not knowing the danger.”

The regret voiced by the family centers on a decision made just one week prior. Iryna had recently confided in them about her growing comfort with public transit. After months of relying on family rides, she insisted on taking the light rail alone to assert her independence—a milestone in her American dream. “One week ago, we let her start doing this,” her uncle explained, echoing the sentiment in viral social media posts mourning her loss. “She was so excited to handle it herself. If only we had insisted on picking her up that night… everything would have been different.” Her last text to family that evening read simply: “I’m happy here. Thank you for everything.” It arrived just before the attack.

The family’s pain extends beyond the personal. Iryna’s father, still in Kyiv, watched her burial via FaceTime, his heartbreak compounded by distance and the ongoing war she fled. In their first public statement since the video’s release, they demanded justice and systemic change. “Iryna came to America for safety, not this,” they said through a spokesperson. “We call for reforms to protect public transit, address mental health crises, and ensure repeat offenders aren’t released without oversight.” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles echoed this, expressing heartbreak and committing to enhanced safety measures on the light rail.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with social media flooded by tributes and calls for accountability. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) remember Iryna not as a victim, but as a beacon of hope—her artwork shared, her laughter celebrated. One viral thread highlighted the “deafening silence” of bystanders, mirroring the family’s stunned reaction to the footage. Even celebrities weighed in; rapper DaBaby faced backlash for a music video incorporating the tragedy, though he intended it as a tribute, sharing her GoFundMe link to support the family.

As the investigation continues, with federal charges against Brown escalating, Iryna’s story serves as a stark reminder of vulnerability in everyday spaces. Her family clings to memories of her warmth, vowing to honor her by advocating for change. “She mattered,” Rep. Nancy Mace posted on X. “Law and order isn’t optional.” In Charlotte and beyond, the silhouette in that glass door lingers—a haunting symbol of what was lost, and a call to ensure no one else endures the same fate.