Who Was Iryna Zarutska? 8 Photos of The Ukrainian Refugee Stabbed to Death in Charlotte Subway by Homeless Man

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee seeking safety and a fresh start in Charlotte, North Carolina, was stabbed multiple times by a homeless man in what police described as a random attack on the city's light rail system.

Her death has sparked grief, anger and difficult questions about safety, justice and the failures of the system that allowed her killer to remain free.

The Final Journey on Charlotte's Lynx Blue Line

On the evening of 22 August, Zarutska boarded the Lynx Blue Line train just before 10 p.m. after finishing her shift at a local pizzeria.

Surveillance footage later released by the Charlotte Area Transit System shows her dressed in her work uniform, scrolling on her phone, unaware of the danger lurking only a few feet away.

Behind her sat 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a long criminal history. After waiting for four minutes, he pulled out a folding knife and lunged forward, stabbing Zarutska three times, including once in the neck.

The chilling video shows Brown calmly stripping off his sweatshirt and standing by the train doors, while blood dripped from him onto the carriage floor.

Zarutska, clutching her neck as blood pooled beneath her, collapsed in her seat and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Who Was Iryna Zarutska?

Zarutska's story was one of resilience and hope. A Ukrainian national, she escaped the war in her homeland in search of safety and opportunity in America.

Friends described her as hardworking and ambitious, holding down a job at a pizzeria while rebuilding her life far from the violence she thought she had left behind.

Her murder has left the Charlotte community reeling. For many, she represented the promise of a better future in the United States.

Instead, her life was brutally cut short by an act of senseless violence.

The Suspect and Systemic Failures

The man charged with her killing, Decarlos Brown Jr., had a troubling past. Records show he previously served five years in prison for armed robbery and had been arrested at least 14 times.

Earlier this year, he was accused of misusing 911 during a bizarre incident in which he claimed his body was being controlled by a 'man-made material'.

Despite this long history of arrests and erratic behaviour, Brown remained free. He has now been charged with first-degree murder and ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.

Outrage erupted on social media after the release of the surveillance footage.

The murder of Iryna Zarutska has become a symbol of systemic shortcomings — a young woman who fled conflict only to fall victim to violence in a country she thought would protect her.

Her story is now part of a wider conversation about crime, homelessness, and the accountability of institutions meant to keep citizens safe.