The Daily Populous Monday September 8th, 2025 day edition
Authored by abc11.com and submitted by RightNet9422

Woman stabbed to death on Charlotte train; suspect arrested after random attack

Over two weeks after the attack, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) have released surveillance footage from the incident.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 23-year-old woman was stabbed to death on a Charlotte train over two weeks ago. Now, officials with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) have released surveillance footage from the incident.

On Friday, Aug. 22, Iryna Zarutska boarded the CATS Blue Line and sat in an aisle seat in front of Decarlos Brown. Video footage shows that she was wearing headphones, and the two had no interaction, according to ABC affiliate WSOC.

The train was en route to the East/West Boulevard Station, and there were many passengers on board.

During the ride, Brown, unprovoked, pulled out a knife and stabbed Zarutska to death. After the attack, video shows Brown walking to the other end of the train and removing his hoodie. Several passengers rushed to help Zarutska.

Declaros Brown is facing murder charges after stabbing a woman to death on a Charlotte transit train on Aug. 22, 2025.

The train stopped about two minutes later, and Brown was immediately arrested by Charlotte police after stepping on the platform. He is facing first degree murder charges, and CATS banned him for life.

Brown also has a history of criminal activity and mental health issues, WSOC reported.

The 23-year-old victim was living in Charlotte after fleeing the war in Ukraine with her mother, sister and brother.

Those who knew Zarutska described her as a gifted and passionate artist who loved sculpting and designing clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit. She was also an animal lover who often cared for her neighbors' pets.

Iryna Zarutska, who was a Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed by a man while riding a Charlotte train.

In her obituary, it said: "Many fondly remember seeing her walking them through the neighborhood, always with her radiant smile. She dreamed of pursuing a career as a Veterinary Assistant."

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles released a statement on the incident: "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."

Syphillisdiller1 on September 8th, 2025 at 02:14 UTC »

I love that they point out he's also been banned from the transit system for life.

Pontiac_787 on September 8th, 2025 at 02:02 UTC »

The fact that people can die due to things like this so arbitrarily keeps me up at night -- living a life to only die due to happenstance is beyond my comprehension. So sad.

StevieOfPhoenix on September 8th, 2025 at 01:54 UTC »

She was there because she fled the war in Ukraine. This is absolutely heartbreaking. 😔