On August 22, 2025, a Ukrainian refugee was stabbed and killed on a train in the East/West Boulevard station on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Iryna Zarutska was a Ukrainian refugee, fleeing from the Russian invasion. In 2022, Iryna, her mother, sister, and younger brother immigrated to America to escape the 
Russian invasion. A law in Ukraine prohibited men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, forcing Iryna’s father to stay behind. After arriving in America, Iryna started learning English and took many jobs, including working at a pizzeria, as a senior center aide, and as a pet caretaker. Iryna’s boyfriend gave her driving lessons, since Iryna and her family didn’t have a car. Iryna enrolled at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to become a veterinary assistant.
The suspect of the murder was Decarlos Brown Jr., who was arrested upon exiting the train. Decarlos was 34 years old at the time of the incident. Prior to the stabbing, Decarlos had been arrested 14 times for breaking and entering and multiple counts of armed robbery, dating all the way back to 2007. Decarlos, who is diagnosed with schizophrenia, has shown violent behavior at home with his family.
During the incident, Iryna was taking the train back home from her shift. CCTV footage shows Decarlos standing up from his seat, then approaching Iryna before stabbing her with a pocket knife three times from behind, with at least one to the side of her neck, before promptly walking away. Around four witnesses to the murder walked away from the dying girl instead of offering help. Iryna remained conscious, visibly confused, before collapsing from loss of blood nearly a minute later. It was only after this that she got attention from others. The video showed no signs of previous interaction, nor anything that Iryna did that could have provoked Decarlos.
This incident raised concerns about the safety of Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line, with many urging the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) to review security measures. Gaps in Mecklenburg County’s mental health and justice systems were also publicly discussed after the tragic incident. The CATS announced that it would increase the rigor of fare inspections, install new ticket validators, and increase the number of officers and security personnel on trains and platforms.
Her unfortunate death has sparked a wave of anger and concern over the CATS, prompting it to revise its safety and security policies for the better.
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