The murder of a young Ukrainian woman in North Carolina is in the national spotlight as President Donald Trump’s initiative to curb violent crime in major U.S. cities continues.
Here is what to know about the death of Iryna Zarutska:
Ukrainian woman killed on train
The backstory:
Zarutska, 23, had come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine, relatives wrote in a GoFundMe post, describing her as determined to build a safer life.
She was attacked and fatally stabbed on Aug. 22 on a commuter light rail train in Charlotte without any apparent interaction with the suspect. She suffered three stab wounds, according to an arrest warrant obtained by FOX News Digital.
FILE – Generic image of a public transport seat handle. Getty Images
Video perspective:
Newly-released video from the Charlotte Area Transit System has brought the attack into the national spotlight.
Video released Friday shows Zarutska, wearing her pizzeria uniform, entering the light-rail train and taking a seat in front of the suspect. Minutes later, as she sat scrolling on her phone, he pulls out a pocketknife, stands and slashes her in the neck, investigators said. Passengers scream and scatter as she collapses.
FOX Television Stations is working to secure the video from the Charlotte Area Transit System.
Stabbing suspect
Booking photo of Decarlos Brown. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office)
Dig deeper:
The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was arrested at the scene and has been charged. He had served time in prison, been briefly committed for schizophrenia and was arrested earlier this year after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital.
Court records show he had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade, with 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including serving five years for robbery with a dangerous weapon. His mother told local television she sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment earlier this year after he became violent at home.
Violent crime in the US
Big picture view:
Officials in Charlotte are facing sharp criticism over the fatal stabbing, and the crime has sparked anger among President Trump and his allies.
What they’re saying:
Critics say the death could have been prevented, and they’re blaming officials for failing to keep a man with a history of mental illness, arrests and erratic behavior off the streets before he killed her. It’s the latest talking point in the debate if cities are adequately addressing violent crime, mental illness and transit safety.
President Trump and MAGA allies are blaming Democrats for what they say is out-of-control crime in blue cities. They say the attack shows how large cities and governors are failing to protect their residents and justifies the president’s federal takeover of Washington and his plans to replicate that effort in other places.
Meanwhile:
Trump has deployed the National Guard in Washington and threatened to do so in other Democratic-led cities including Chicago and Baltimore.
READ MORE: Trump’s DC crime emergency order set to expire Wednesday
The Source: Information in this article was taken from Charlotte Area Transit System video and an arrest warrant obtained and reported by FOX News Digital and The Associated Press; a GoFundMe post; and public and social media remarks from President Donald Trump. Background information was used from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.
