Ukrainian refugee killed in random stabbing on US train sparks outrage

A 23-year-old Ukrainian woman who fled the war was fatally stabbed in Charlotte, North Carolina, in what police described as a random attack on a city train.

Surveillance video released by local transit authorities shows Iryna Zarutska boarding the train in her pizzeria uniform on Aug. 22.

Moments later, 34-year-old homeless ex-convict Decarlos Brown Jr., seated behind her, suddenly pulled out a folding knife and allegedly stabbed her three times in the neck. Zarutska collapsed in her seat and died at the scene.

The suspect, who has a long record of arrests and mental health issues, was seen wandering through the train car after the attack, removing his bloody hoodie before leaving. He has been charged with first-degree murder. Records show prior convictions for armed robbery and other crimes, as well as erratic behavior linked to psychiatric problems.

The case has provoked heated debate in the US. Right-wing commentators accused major media of downplaying the killing, with conservative podcaster Benny Jonson claiming, “If Iryna were black and her killer white, the media would be rioting non-stop.”

Others compared the case to the murder of George Floyd. Elon Musk also reposted such claims.

Charlotte’s Democratic mayor Vi Lyles urged restraint, saying the footage had not been widely shared “out of respect for Iryna’s family.”

A fundraising campaign for Zarutska’s relatives has raised nearly $46,000. Her employer, Zepeddie’s pizzeria, called her death “a tremendous loss,” describing her as both “an incredible employee” and “a true friend.”

Meaghan Mobbs, daughter of US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, linked the tragedy to broader issues: “Women in Ukraine endure unimaginable violence. Many fled here seeking safety. Her murder is our failure. No woman should face such violence on American soil.”

The news coincided with Russia’s largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, in which 810 drones and decoys targeted cities including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, killing at least four people and injuring 44.