Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Killed in North Carolina

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed at a Charlotte train station by repeat offender Decarlos Brown Jr. She had fled Ukraine for safety in the U.S. A GoFundMe has been launched for her family, while Brown faces first-degree murder charges amid his long criminal history.

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who fled her war-torn country in search of safety, was fatally stabbed at a train station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The attack took place on August 22 at the East/West Boulevard light rail station, where she was pronounced dead after suffering multiple stab wounds.

Zarutska had only recently arrived in the United States, hoping to rebuild her life away from conflict. Her family described the tragedy as an “irreparable loss.” A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support her aunt Valeria and cover funeral and related expenses, raising more than $12,000 of its $14,000 target so far.

Authorities identified the suspect as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a long criminal record. Brown has been charged with first-degree murder. Police said he sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and will be arrested upon his release from hospital care.

Court records reveal Brown’s troubled history, with multiple arrests since 2011 for crimes including felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. He previously served five years in prison for armed robbery. More recently, he faced charges for misusing the 911 system after making bizarre claims about being controlled by a “man-made material” inside his body.

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The murder has sparked grief and outrage, highlighting the vulnerability of refugees seeking new lives abroad and the risks posed by repeat offenders in the criminal justice system. For Zarutska’s family, what began as a journey toward safety ended in a devastating act of violence that cut short a young life filled with hope.