The murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the night of August 22. Zarutska had just gotten off shift at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria. She boarded the light rail car for her commute home. The car was nearly empty, Zarutska sat down on the bench nearest the door, and began using her smartphone. Behind her was 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, a violent criminal who had surfed the penal system since at least 2007. He had been arrested some fourteen times and managed to get by with a single five-year sentence for armed robbery in 2014. He had been arrested for another crime in January and was released without bail pending trial when he boarded the train that night.
With no interaction at all taking place between Zarutska and Brown, after riding together for four minutes, Brown pulled a knife, stood over her, and stabbed her several times in the neck. My colleague Sister Toldjah posted on the story when it happened: A Jordan Neely-Type Situation Sets Itself Up in Charlotte Transit System, yet the Mayor Is Out to Lunch – RedState.
Don't watch this video if you are squeamish. It isn't here to shock, though it will; it is here to show you how unsafe you are in any American city governed by progressives.
🔥Władze opublikowały nagranie pokazujące, jak ukraińska uchodźczyni Iryna Zarutska została dźgnięta w szyję podczas przypadkowego ataku dokonanego przez wielokrotnego przestępcę, Decarlosa Browna Jr., w Charlotte w Karolinie Północnej. pic.twitter.com/Xns6jr4jrZ
— 🪙drugα ɐuoɹʇs mєdαlu🪙 (@M_Christo1410) September 6, 2025
Who are the judges who kept letting this psycho go free after each arrest??? pic.twitter.com/caL0VTGrZ6
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 7, 2025
The Mayor of Charlotte released a statement four days after Zarutska's murder in which she could not say the victim's name but acted as an Excuse-o-matic for the murderer.
In a statement Tuesday, Lyles did not mention the victim by name or discuss any specific measures the Charlotte Area Transit System or police are taking to address safety on public transit. She focused on the suspect and urged others not to demonize homeless people.
Lyles said the suspect appeared to have struggled with mental health and suffered a crisis. She said Charlotte and its transit system are “by and large" safe, but the incident highlights the need for stronger support systems.
“We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health,” Lyles said. "Mental health disease is just that — a disease like any other that needs to be treated with the same compassion, diligence and commitment as cancer or heart disease."
Lyles added that people living on the streets are more often the victims of crime than the perpetrators, and said she is committed to working with county officials, health care providers, and community leaders to improve services.
Factually, she's wrong. Just like you can kill your way out of a war, if you have the guts and determination, you can arrest your way out of "homelessness and mental health," by that she means random street crime, if you wish. More importantly, it is tone deaf to the point of offensiveness. Given the politics of Mayor Lyles, one can help but believe that "intersectionality" lies at the root. Zarutska didn't matter because she was young, White, and employed. Brown, on the other hand, deserves a break because he is Black and held down by The Man.
Saturday, Lyles released another message. This one condemns, in a backhanded way, media outlets that played the transit security tape.
"The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.
This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time.
Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city. I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe."
If Lyles gave a rip about public safety, the first thing she should do is ensure that career felons, like Brown, don't get bail, or worse yet, are released without bail as happened in this case.
The fact here is that Brown is no more to blame for this than the prosecutors and judges who taught him that the criminal justice system is a joke, and the politicians who excuse evil under the guise of compassion for homelessness and mental illness. If Brown was mentally ill, and not just evil and stupid, to the point that he believed stabbing people was okay, he needed to be incarcerated. Iryna Zarutska's death was a tragedy for her family and friends, but it was the logical and foreseeable outcome of the public policy adopted by Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
RedState is your leading source for news and views on administration, politics, culture, and conservatism. If you appreciate our reporting and commentary, please consider becoming a member and supporting our efforts. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member