Overview

• Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte on August 22.
• Police identified the suspect as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., located him minutes after the attack, treated a hand injury, and later charged him with murder.
• Edited surveillance footage published by the transit authority and local media shows the suspect rising behind the victim and moving through the train after the assault.
• Local reporting highlights Brown’s prior arrests and homelessness, and his attorney cites long-standing mental-health issues; investigators have not established a motive.
• Public figures including Elon Musk and Republican officials criticized local authorities and media, President Donald Trump condemned the killing in posts and remarks, and Mayor Vi Lyles pledged to prioritize public safety.