President Donald Trump has called for Decarlos Brown Jr. to receive the death penalty for the alleged murder of Iryna Zarutska.
“The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There can be no other option!!!”
Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was stabbed on a train on August 22 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brown, 34, has been charged with Zarutska’s murder, and is being held without bond at Mecklenburg County Jail.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday that Brown had also been charged with causing death on a mass transportation system. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or execution.
Police/Instagram
The Context
The attack raises questions about safety and policing levels in Charlotte. It has also caused some to scrutinize Charlotte’s judicial system, as Brown was known to the police as having schizophrenia and had previous arrests and convictions spanning multiple years.
Brown had been arrested 14 times in over a decade and had previously been convicted of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats, leading to a six-year prison sentence in 2015 for incidents dating to 2013 and 2014.
What To Know
In a previous statement, Trump had called for Brown to be “locked up,” but had stopped short of calling for the death penalty.
He posted on Truth Social on Tuesday: “I have seen the horrific video of a beautiful, young Ukrainian refugee, who came to America to escape the vicious War in Ukraine, and was innocently riding the Metro in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was brutally ambushed by a mentally deranged lunatic.
“The perpetrator was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets? Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”
Zarutska’s family has also spoken out following her death, saying in a statement to WSOC-TV: “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.”
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X on Tuesday: “Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.
“I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime, and he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
