The System Let Her Down
The Death of Iryna Zarutska
On August 22nd, 2025, Iryna Zarutska- a 23 year old Ukrainian refugee who fled a war torn Kyiv was fatally stabbed aboard a Charlotte light rail train. Her death was swift, brutal, easily silenced and completely preventable. The man accused of killing her, Decarlos Brown Jr. had a long violent and mental health history leading us to the big question– why was he free?
A Tragedy Foretold
Brown, 34, was arrested in January 2025 for misusing 911, repeatedly claiming that “man-made materials” had been implanted in his body. Police flagged his behavior as delusional, and his family had long warned the police of his deteriorating mental state. Yet the charge was a misdemeanor and was then released without bond. This began a pattern of neglect and soon would prove to the world that this decision of complacency was fatal.
In July, a judge ordered a competency evaluation to determine whether Brown was fit to stand trial. However, that evaluation was never completed. No follow up. No intervention. No accountability.
A Pattern of Neglect
Brown’s criminal history included 14 prior arrests and multiple convictions of assault and robbery. His mother and sister repeatedly tried to commit him involuntarily, citing the escalating paranoia and threats of violence. The system failed to connect the dots between mental illness, public safety, and judicial oversight.
Minutes after Zarutska boarded the ‘Lynx Blue Line’ in Charlotte's south end, surveillance footage captured the gruesome attack– and a chilling voice afterward saying “.... got that white girl.” Clearly a seemingly racial attack. That comment specifically underscored the vulnerability she faced as the only white female passenger on the train car. As she sat in silence with her hand raised to her mouth and her body covered in blood, no one helped her.
Iryna had come to America seeking safety and opportunity to create her own American dream. Her family decided to bury her in the United States stating that she “loved America”. However, the country she embraced neglected to protect her.
Things must change.
Her death was not an isolated incident, but a symptom of systematic dysfunction. Judges lack tools to enforce evaluations, leaving families powerless. And public transit systems, increasingly relied upon by lower income and immigrant communities, remain under policed and under resourced. Charlotte officials have pledged to review safety protocols, but protocols are not enough.
Public reforms need be set in place in order for there to be positive changes:
Required follow up on court ordered mental health evaluations.
Real time tracking of individuals that are flagged for psychiatric risk.
Increase security on public transit.
Constant communication and coordination between the judicial system, law enforcement, and mental health services.
Justice for Iryna Zarutska means more than actually having consequences for the killer. It means building a system that listens and intervenes before tragedy strikes… especially a preventable death like this one.
Decarlos Brown Jr's criminal history before Iryna Zarutska murder
