- By Theodore Lavish
- /
- 11 Sep 2025
Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing: Ukrainian Refugee Killed as Suspect Faces Federal Death Penalty
A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack on a Charlotte light rail train. The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., now faces federal charges that carry a potential death sentence. The case has fueled debate over public safety, mental health, and the justice system as the community grieves a young woman who had rebuilt her life in the U.S.