Overview

• Police say 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light-rail train on Aug. 22, and 34-year-old Decarlos Brown has been charged with first-degree murder.
• Court records show a judge committed Brown to a local hospital for at least 60 days for psychiatric evaluation after authorities released video of the attack.
• Speaking in Washington, President Trump linked the killing to his push to expand federal crime crackdowns in Democratic-led cities, pointing specifically to Chicago.
• CMPD reports violent crime fell 25% in the first half of 2025, as Trump officials fault Charlotte’s leaders and critics argue recent justice reforms enabled repeated releases.
• GoFundMe said it removed campaigns seeking Brown’s legal defense, while a verified fundraiser for Zarutska’s family remains active.