The brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte, North Carolina light rail train has prompted a surprising response from former President Donald Trump. Iryna fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 alongside her family, seeking safety in the United States. Tragically, her life was taken in a violent, unprovoked attack that shocked the nation.
Video footage from the Charlotte Area Transit System captured Zarutska calmly seated and using her phone moments before Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old with a history of criminal behavior and mental health issues, stabbed her in the neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Trump reacted to questions about the attack during a press briefing at Joint Base Andrews by calling the event “horrible.” Later, on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump detailed the circumstances and criticized the justice system for allowing repeat offenders like Brown to remain free on bail, lamenting the failure to protect innocent lives.
Brown was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, facing federal and local charges related to the mass transit attack. Authorities confirmed a full investigation is underway with no current motive publicly disclosed.
The incident has sparked wider debates about public safety, sentencing reform, and mental health policies, with many questioning how repeat offenders continue to pose risks. Iryna Zarutska’s death has become a rallying point for calls to improve protections for vulnerable citizens in urban settings.
