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DeCarlos Brown Jr. has been charged with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte commuter train. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The unprovoked attack, caught on surveillance video, occurred shortly after Zarutska boarded the train. Brown has a long criminal history, including a five-year sentence for armed robbery and a recent arrest for making delusional 911 calls. Despite his history and a schizophrenia diagnosis, he was released without bail earlier this year. Zarutska’s death has sparked criticism of local justice policies, with calls for the removal of the judge who released Brown. Zarutska had fled Ukraine seeking a new life in the US.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
Published on: Sept 10, 2025 01:06 am IST
Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska’s murder case took a massive turn on Tuesday. Suspect Decarlos Brown Jr was charged with murder.
Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska’s murder case took a massive turn on Tuesday. The Justice Department announced murder charges against the suspect, DeCarlos Brown Jr. Zarutska was stabbed in a Charlotte commuter train last month. The suspect now could face the death penalty. Authorities further revealed that Brown Jr had a long history with the criminal justice system.
Karoline Leavitt speaks alongside a photo of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was allegedly killed by Decarlos Brown Jr. (R),(AFP)
Prosecutors in North Carolina charged him with first-degree murder, while federal officials filed a separate count of causing death on a mass transportation system.
The killing, captured on surveillance video, unfolded within minutes of Zarutska boarding the train. She sat in front of Brown, investigators said, when he suddenly pulled a pocketknife and slashed her throat without provocation. Fellow passengers screamed and rushed away as Zarutska collapsed.
Read More: Iryna Zarutska murder: Decarlos Brown Jr. once asked cops to investigate ‘man-made material’ inside his body
Family members described Zarutska, who fled Ukraine to escape the war, as determined to build a new life in the US. A GoFundMe post shared by relatives called her death “an unimaginable loss.”
Brown’s criminal history stretches back more than a decade, with 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including a five-year sentence for armed robbery. Earlier this year, he was arrested for repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital with delusional claims, but a judge released him without bail. His mother later sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment after he became violent at home; doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia.
DeCarlos Brown Jr will never ‘see the light of day’
The attack has fueled sharp criticism of local justice policies. Attorney General Pam Bondi called Zarutska’s death “a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”
Judge Teresa Stokes faces flak
Republican members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation on Tuesday called for her removal.
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