Deadly light rail stabbing in Charlotte grows political under national spotlight

The fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee at a South End light rail station in Charlotte is becoming politicized and has drawn national attention — including from Republicans — after the release of a graphic video.

Multiple national news outlets, as well as local TV station WBTV, shared the video or images from the video on Friday that show the moments before and after another light rail passenger stabbed Iryna Zarutska, 23, who was killed last month.

The Charlotte Observer chose not to publish the video of Zarutska’s killing because of its graphic nature.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy called out Charlotte city officials, including Mayor Vi Lyles, for bearing responsibility.

“This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny,” Duffy said on X. “By failing to properly punish him, Charlotte failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians.”

Elon Musk, former leader of Department of Government Efficiency formed under President Donald Trump, on Saturday reposted three tweets on his social media platform X about the Charlotte killing. Some tweets called out national news outlets that have not covered the Charlotte killing, while other tweets blamed judges and district attorneys for allowing “criminals to roam free.”

American right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh, self-described as a “theocratic fascist,” shared a photo from WBTV’s video on Saturday and said: “Our society is held hostage by a tiny minority of violent, anti-social degenerates.”

Locally, Mecklenburg County Republican Party said it will hold a news conference Wednesday about the incident. “Charlotte’s safety is at stake,” the party announced Saturday on Facebook.

“This could have happened to any one of us,” Mecklenburg County Republican Party said Saturday on Facebook sharing WBTV’s video of the killing. “Crime in Charlotte is spiraling out of control, and our current leadership is doing nothing to stop it.”

The local GOP party has become increasingly focused on the city’s homicide and crime rates on social media just as Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard in Democrat-run cities like New Orleans, New York and San Francisco to fight crime. Last month, Trump took federal control over Washington, D.C. On Saturday, he threatened “war” with Chicago.

Mecklenburg County Republican Party officials did not immediately respond Sunday to requests for comment about Wednesday’s press conference.

On Saturday, Mayor Vi Lyles said on X “The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.”

On Sunday, N.C. Rep. Brenden Jones called out Lyles and Charlotte’s crime rate. “Thanking the media for staying quiet about a tragic death shows exactly how Democrats in big cities try to cover up their crime problem,” Jones said.

Through the first half of the year, overall crime in Charlotte has decreased 8% compared to this same time last year, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reported in July. Charlotte experienced a 25% reduction in violent crime, which includes homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults and shootings.

About the fatal stabbing in Charlotte

Just before 10 p.m. on Aug. 22, a light rail passenger stabbed Zarutska several times. Officials said she was stabbed in the throat at least one time. Zarutska was found dead on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte at 1821 Camden Road, according to police.

Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged with first-degree murder of Zarutska, a refugee who came to Charlotte from Ukraine. Brown remains in Mecklenburg County jail after being denied bond Aug. 29. Brown’s lawyer has filed a motion for an evaluation of his competency to stand trial because of his “long history” of mental health issues.

Brown and Zarutska did not interact in the moments leading up to the fatal attack, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Brown has been arrested multiple times since 2011, according to court records. Charges have included felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. Almost all charges were dropped, The Charlotte Obsever previously reported.

Brown has a pending charge from January of misuse of the 911 system, the Observer previously reported. Police conducted a welfare check on Brown, who told them he believed a person gave him a “man-made” material that controlled when he did things, such as eat, walk and talk. Brown became upset with officers, called 911 to speak with police, and was arrested after hanging up.

What does Charlotte train stabbing video show?

The statements came after Charlotte TV stations released video footage of the stabbing provided by the Charlotte Area Transit System. A number of state and federal leaders shared an image and video published by WBTV of a man alleged to be Decarlos Brown rearing back with a knife in hand before striking Iryna Zarutska in the neck.

The footage released to a number of media outlets, including The Observer, shows raw video of several people sitting in the back of a train for several minutes before Zarutska sits down one row in front of the man alleged to be Brown. The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.

Zarutska turns to look at Brown before falling onto the floor of the seat in front of her. Brown removes his hooded sweatshirt and walks to another end of the train car as blood drips onto the floor behind him. He leaves the train when it reaches a stop. Then, a crowd of people gather around a motionless Zarutska.