A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was stabbed to death on a Charlotte light-rail train last month in what police described as a random attack, and a local man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Iryna Zarutska, who immigrated to the United States with her family in 2022 to escape the war in Ukraine, was riding the Lynx Blue Line on Aug. 22 when a man seated nearby pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed her, according to authorities and local news reports. The suspect, identified in court records as Decarlos Brown, was taken into custody and charged after investigators reviewed surveillance footage and other evidence.
Zarutska was born May 22, 2002, to Anna Zarutska and Stanislav Zarutskyi, and graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in art and restoration, her obituary said. She and her mother, sister and brother arrived in the United States in August 2022. Friends and her employer said she had quickly embraced life in the U.S., became fluent in English, and worked at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria while pursuing plans to become a veterinary assistant.
Surveillance video released by authorities showed the moments before the attack on the light-rail train. Police said neither Zarutska nor Brown knew each other and that the assault was random. Mecklenburg County booking records and an arrest warrant listed a first-degree murder charge against Brown.
Friends and colleagues remembered Zarutska for her art and kindness. Her obituary said she used her restoration training to create works of art for loved ones and called her absence “a deep void.” A family friend identified only as Lonnie told WCNC Charlotte that Zarutska was “always very helpful, very supportive and just had a heart of gold.”
Zepeddie’s Pizzeria posted on social media that Zarutska’s death was “a tremendous loss,” saying the staff had kept a candle lit in her honor and describing her as both an “incredible employee” and “a true friend.” The restaurant asked for privacy as employees grieved.
Court and law-enforcement records show Brown has a criminal history that dates back more than a decade, including convictions for larceny and breaking-and-entering in 2013 and a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon. He served time in prison until 2020 and was on parole until 2021. Records also show subsequent charges this year for communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system.
Investigators have said the case remains under active investigation. Prosecutors will review evidence from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as the case moves through the court system. No trial date had been set in the immediate aftermath of the arrest.
Local officials and community members expressed concern about the violence after the killing, and the episode has prompted renewed attention to public safety on transit lines. Authorities urged anyone with additional information or relevant surveillance footage to contact investigators.
Zarutska’s family announced funeral arrangements in an obituary that described her as a passionate artist with a love for animals. The obituary said she will be remembered for her kindness and creativity and asked that those who knew her honor her memory.
(Reporting assembled from law-enforcement statements, court records and interviews with friends, family and Zarutska’s employer.)