Overview
- A federal grand jury charged Decarlos Brown Jr. with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, a count that allows a capital sentence.
- Prosecutors say surveillance video shows an unprovoked attack on Aug. 22, with Brown allegedly pulling a pocketknife and stabbing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska multiple times.
- An affidavit says there was no interaction between the two before the stabbing, and officers arrested the suspect on the platform moments later as a pocketknife was recovered.
- Court documents cited by local outlets show the Rule 24 hearing that would determine whether the state seeks death has been postponed to April 2026, with the stated reason redacted.
- Newsweek reports the delay drew online criticism, and a former district attorney told the outlet the timing likely relates to competency, while North Carolina has enacted 'Iryna's Law' tightening pretrial release rules.