CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Officials in Charlotte are facing sharp criticism over the fatal stabbing of a young Ukrainian refugee on a commuter train last month, a killing that quickly drew the attention of President Donald Trump and MAGA allies who blame Democrats for what they say is out-of-control crime in blue cities.
Critics say the death of Iryna Zarutska, 23, could have been prevented, and they’re blaming officials for failing to keep a man with a history of mental illness, arrests and erratic behavior off the streets before he killed her. Trump wrote on his social media platform on Monday that “Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”
The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, had served time in prison, been briefly committed for schizophrenia and was arrested earlier this year after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital.
Zarutska had come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine, relatives wrote in a GoFundMe post, describing her as determined to build a safer life.
The Aug. 22 attack, captured in a newly released video, is the latest flashpoint in the debate over whether cities like Charlotte are adequately addressing violent crime, mental illness and transit safety. It added to an ongoing political debate as Trump has deployed the National Guard in Washington and threatened to do so in other Democratic-led cities including Chicago and Baltimore. That’s even as data show violent crime has decreased nationwide.
No apparent interaction before stabbing
Video released Friday shows Zarutska entering the light-rail train and taking a seat in front of Brown, who was seated behind her. Minutes later, without any apparent interaction, he pulls out a pocketknife, stands and slashes her in the neck, investigators said. Passengers scream and scatter as she collapses.
Brown was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder. Court records show he had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade, with 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including serving five years for robbery with a dangerous weapon. His mother told local television she sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment earlier this year after he became violent at home. Doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia.
A message seeking comment was left Monday with the attorney representing him on the murder charge.
In January, Brown was arrested after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, claiming people were trying to control him. A judge released him without bail.
Court records also show Brown faced charges ranging from making threats and shoplifting to felony larceny dating back to 2011, although some of those charges appear to have been dismissed.
Trump and MAGA target Democrats
The stabbing has sparked anger among allies of Trump and figures in his Make America Great Again movement. They say the attack shows how large cities and governors are failing to protect their residents and justifies the president’s federal takeover of Washington and his plans to replicate that effort in other places.
In a speech at the Museum of the Bible in Washington on Monday, Trump sent his love to Zarutska’s family and said video of the attack was “not really watchable because it’s so horrible.”
“They are evil people. We have to be able to handle that. If we don’t handle that, we don’t have a country,” Trump said.
Elon Musk posted about the stabbing several times on social media, as did popular conservative activist Charlie Kirk and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Other Republicans are also using the homicide to criticize Democratic initiatives aimed at tackling discrimination within law enforcement and criminal justice systems. Former North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, signed an executive order in 2020 to study solutions “to address racial inequity.”
“Cooper bears direct responsibility for this heinous act and must answer to the public about why he prioritizes criminals over public safety,” said Michael Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Whatley will likely run against Cooper for a U.S. Senate seat in 2026 in what is expected to be one of the country’s most competitive races.
The Democratic mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, also drew criticism from the right for her response, with some saying she came off as too lenient on the attacker because she referenced mental health issues.
Lyles, who is seeking reelection and running in the Democratic primary Tuesday, called Zarutska’s killing “a senseless and tragic loss.”
“Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city,” she posted on X after authorities released footage of the attack.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking on Fox News, referenced Trump’s comment about “evil people,” adding: “He’s right, but it’s also evil politicians.”
“This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny,” Duffy wrote on X on Sunday. “By failing to properly punish him, Charlotte failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians.”
Most violent crime is down
Random attacks and violence in U.S. cities have taken on increasing significance nationally this year, colliding with the politics of crime and immigration as the Trump administration plans to ramp up a greater federal role on city streets.
That’s even as data shows most violent crime has declined in recent years in Democratic-led cities where Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard, as well as around the country.
Those same trends have largely held true in Charlotte, where the rates of homicides, robberies, aggravated assault and burglary all decreased between 2020 and 2024 but auto thefts rose significantly, according to AH Datalytics, which tracks crime using local law enforcement data for its Real-Time Crime Index.
In 2024, though, homicides in Charlotte did spike by nearly 20% over the previous year, but that number has dropped again during the first six months of this year, according to the data. ___
Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland. Associated Press reporters John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; contributed.
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