For the first time since the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska, her family has spoken out, calling for justice and significant changes to public safety protocols on North Carolina’s light rail trains.

In a statement channeled through their lawyer, they remembered her as a “kind and diligent individual, cherished by those around her.”

The family said they are devastated by her sudden loss and want the man accused of killing the 23-year-old to remain behind bars.

Iryna Zarutska, 23, was killed when taking a train in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2025. (@lucaveros225/Instagram; WBTV;  Evgeniya Rush/GoFundMe)

Emphasizing transit security, the family urged a thorough inquiry into possible security oversights within the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).

The statement highlighted her death as indicative of larger security flaws, stressing the lack of visible security on the Blue Line, potential contract issues between CATS and its security firm, and missing safety measures that could have thwarted the attack.

The family urged Charlotte authorities to confront the transit security inadequacies and initiate reform, and they’re calling for allies to support their quest for justice and permanent improvements.

Zarutska had fled war for safety and opportunity in the United States and had been building a new life in Charlotte — working at a pizzeria and studying English at community college.

“That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon,” the statement reads. 

“Tragically, her journey ended in violence near the Camden light rail station. Her loved ones became alarmed when she did not arrive to her apartment at the anticipated time and her phone’s location alerted them that she was still at the station. Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene.”

The family also urged the public and media to respect Zarutska’s dignity and their grief by not reposting or circulating the footage of her killing.