CHARLOTTE – The tragic stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train has intensified the national discourse on law enforcement and public safety. It has also raised concerns among commuters in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Zarutska was attacked on August 22, regarding their own safety while using the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).
“I worked at the nearby gas station and was on shift when the incident occurred on the train. It left me feeling uncertain about what might transpire,” one woman shared with Fox News Digital on Monday. “At that moment, I wasn’t sure if the suspect had fled or what the situation was, which made me hesitant to use the train afterward.”
Another commuter, interviewed by Fox News Digital while waiting for the light rail, expressed relief that she was not in the city during the stabbing, describing the surveillance footage as “very disturbing.”
“Women’s safety is a major concern everywhere, and now it feels even more worrisome on the train,” she remarked. “I never wear both earbuds; I keep one out to stay very conscious of my surroundings for safety reasons. I absolutely don’t want that to happen to me.”
However, the stabbing, which was captured on surveillance video, is making some feel as though the drop in crime isn’t enough.
The notorious video of the assault shows Zarutska boarding the train and sitting before a man donning a red hoodie. After she begins scrolling through her phone, the man suddenly draws a knife and stabs her.
The man in the footage has been identified as Decarlos Brown, who now faces a charge of first-degree murder, according to the Mecklenburg County arrest warrant. Records obtained by Fox News Digital reveal Brown’s extensive criminal history, spanning over ten years.
L-R: A mugshot of Decarlos Brown; surveillance video showing Brown on the light rail train. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office; CATS)
His record includes a 2013 conviction for larceny and breaking and entering, as well as a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon, which sent him to prison. He was released in 2020 and remained on parole until 2021.
Since his arrest, North Carolina leaders, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Gov. Josh Stein, have faced backlash over their responses to the attack and approach to crime. Stein appeared to call for more police presence in his statement, drawing criticism from White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, who accused the governor of “trying to shift the blame.”
