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The family of Iryna Zarutska have spoken out after she was fatally stabbed on a train.
A Ukrainian refugee, she was travelling on a light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, when she was allegedly killed by Decarlos Brown Jr.
This tragic incident occurred on 22 August and the 23-year-old’s family have said they are ‘heartbroken beyond words’.
Horrific footage also circulated online as Brown was allegedly shown stabbing Zarutska multiple times and her family have urged the public and media to not share it.
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The reportedly homeless man has been described as a ‘fourteen-time criminal’ who had been previously freed on a promise to appear and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His family have expressed the belief that the tragedy might have been prevented.
Zarutska fled Ukraine with her mum, sister and brother in 2022 in order to escape the war with Russia as her obituary says she ‘quickly embraced her new life in the United States’.
A statement from a family spokesperson said: “We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way.
“No family should have to go through this.”
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An art and restoration graduate, Zarutska dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant and had quickly become fluent in English after settling in the US. Her obituary added: “She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork. She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.”
Brown had been sitting behind her on the train when he allegedly fatally stabbed her for no apparent reason.
Charged with first-degree murder, he is also facing a federal charge for committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
His sister, Tracey Brown, said he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffered hallucinations and paranoia.
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She told CNN: “I knew he was battling something, but I wanted to know what it was.”
He was arrested for attacking his sister in 2022, but she decided to drop the charges out of concern for his mental health issues.
With multiple convictions on his record, state records show he spent move than five years in jail for robbery with a dangerous weapon. When he was released in 2022, Tracey said he ‘didn’t seem like himself’.
Their mother attempted to get him placed in a long-term facility, but apparently failed because she wasn’t his guardian.
He was charged with misuse of 911 earlier this year, after he allegedly asked officers to investigate a ‘man-made’ material controlling him. Officers told him ‘the issue was a medical issue’ and there was nothing more they could do but he reportedly called 911.
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A condition of his release was his written promise to appear for his next hearing but the White House said his release left him ‘free to slaughter an innocent woman just months later’.
Zarutska’s tragic death has now sparked a political debate over law and order in Charlotte. On Truth Social, Donald Trump called for the 'death penalty' in response to her murder.
Topics: Crime, Mental Health, US News, Parenting
Jess Battison