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A chilling surveillance video has revealed the final moments of a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee's life after she was fatally stabbed in what police described as a random attack aboard a Charlotte light rail train.The victim, Iryna Zarutska, who fled war-torn Ukraine in search of safety in the United States, was attacked on the Lynx Blue Line just before 10 pm on August 22, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
Surveillance video captures attack
The video, released Friday by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), shows Zarutska boarding the train in her pizzeria uniform at 9:46 pm and sitting quietly, scrolling on her phone. Just four minutes later, police say, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr, a homeless ex-convict, pulled out a folding knife and lunged at her, stabbing her three times — including once in the neck.As Zarutska clutched her throat and collapsed in her seat, Brown walked through the car, stripped off his sweatshirt, and waited near the doors as other passengers began to notice blood dripping from him, the footage shows.
Police said Brown exited at the next stop, where a knife was later recovered. Zarutska was pronounced dead on the train.
Suspect's criminal history
Brown, who has multiple arrests dating back to 2011, was charged with first-degree murder.His criminal record includes larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. He previously served five years in prison for armed robbery, according to WSOC-TV.In January, police arrested Brown after he allegedly misused 911 during a welfare check. At the time, he claimed a “man-made” material inside his body was controlling his movements, according to an affidavit cited by the Charlotte Observer.He was treated for a hand injury sustained during the stabbing before being booked into custody.
Questions over transit safety
According to Spectrum News, it took six minutes for police to respond to the incident. Security guards were aboard the train at the time but were located in another car, not where the stabbing occurred.In response to the killing, CATS officials said they have hired a chief safety and security officer, tripled their security budget, and begun upgrading outdated surveillance cameras. On September 22, the Charlotte city council is scheduled to consider expanding police patrols across buses and trains.Officials said the surveillance footage was released following repeated media requests.The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to search for a motive in the seemingly unprovoked attack.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED: Surveillance Video Shows Iryna Zarutska Quietly Scrolling Through Her Phone in Seat 14B Before the Unthinkable Happened. What Was Found on the Seat Next to Her Left Everyone Stunned
On the evening of August 22, 2025, a routine commute on Charlotte, North Carolina’s Lynx Blue Line turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. Surveillance footage released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) captures the final moments of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was quietly scrolling through her phone in seat 14B, unaware of the tragedy about to unfold. What was found on the seat next to her after the attack—a small, handwritten note—has left investigators, her family, and the public stunned, adding a layer of mystery to an already heartbreaking case.
Iryna Zarutska fled war-torn Ukraine in 2022 with her mother, sister, and brother, seeking safety and a fresh start in the United States. A gifted artist with a degree in Art and Restoration from Synergy College in Kyiv, she had embraced her new life in Charlotte, working at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria and studying at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with dreams of becoming a veterinary assistant. Known for her radiant smile and love for animals, she often walked neighbors’ pets, leaving a trail of warmth in her community. On that fateful night, dressed in her pizzeria uniform—a black T-shirt and cap—she boarded the train at 9:46 p.m. at the East/West Boulevard station, settling into seat 14B, AirPods in, absorbed in her phone.
Behind her sat 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a documented history of mental illness and a string of prior convictions, including armed robbery, larceny, and assault. The surveillance video shows Brown fidgeting restlessly in his seat, unnoticed by other passengers. At 9:50 p.m., just four minutes after Zarutska sat down, Brown pulled a folding knife from his pocket, stood, and lunged forward, stabbing her three times, at least once in the neck. The attack was swift and unprovoked—there was no prior interaction between them. Zarutska, caught off guard, clutched her throat and slumped to the floor, her life extinguished in moments. Brown, blood dripping from his knife, walked calmly to the other end of the train, removed his red hoodie, and exited at the next stop, where police arrested him.
As passengers rushed to aid Zarutska, who was pronounced dead at the scene, a chilling discovery was made on the seat next to her in 14A: a crumpled, handwritten note, its contents scrawled in shaky handwriting. According to sources close to the investigation, the note read, “No one is safe here.” The cryptic message, not in Zarutska’s handwriting, has sparked intense speculation. Was it left by Brown, a deliberate taunt tied to his mental state or motives? Did it belong to another passenger, perhaps dropped in the chaos? Or could it point to a broader, yet-undiscovered context for the attack? Authorities have not confirmed the note’s origin, but its discovery has stunned investigators and deepened the tragedy’s impact, raising questions about whether it was a premeditated message or a coincidental artifact.
The video, edited to omit the graphic moment of the stabbing, has circulated widely online, igniting outrage and grief. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called the attack a “senseless and tragic loss,” noting, “The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. My prayers remain with her loved ones.” The incident has fueled debates about public safety, mental health, and judicial failures, as Brown, despite his extensive criminal record and schizophrenia diagnosis, was free after a January 2025 arrest for misusing the 911 system. His mother, Michelle Dewitt, told CNN that she had sought an involuntary commitment order for her son’s erratic behavior, but the system failed to keep him in long-term care.
Brown’s sister, Tracey Brown, revealed to media outlets that he believed he was controlled by a “man-made material” affecting his actions, a delusion that may have fueled his paranoia. On X, posts have amplified the controversy, with some, like @RealTalkUSA, stating, “Iryna Zarutska escaped war only to be killed on a US train. A note saying ‘No one is safe here’ was found next to her—why was Brown on the streets?” Others, like @Justice4AllNC, questioned, “That note in seat 14A… was it Brown’s? Or is there more we don’t know?” The note’s existence, first reported by local outlet WBTV, has not been fully explained, and police are analyzing it for fingerprints and handwriting to determine its significance.
Zarutska’s family, devastated, described her as a “vibrant spirit” who gifted her artwork to loved ones and found joy in simple moments. A GoFundMe campaign, raising nearly $75,000, noted her hope for a “new beginning” in America, now shattered. Her employer, Zepeddie’s Pizzeria, posted, “We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend. Iryna, we miss you more than words can say.” A family friend, Lonnie, told WCNC, “She survived daily bombings in Ukraine, only to die here. It’s sickening.”
The case has become a flashpoint in national discussions. President Donald Trump and conservative figures, including Ben Shapiro, have cited it as evidence of urban crime crises in Democrat-led cities, with Trump calling the killing “horrific” on X. Critics, however, argue this overlooks the mental health system’s failures, as Brown’s family repeatedly sought help to no avail. U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced federal charges against Brown for causing death on a mass transportation system, carrying a potential death penalty, alongside his state first-degree murder charge.
The note in seat 14A remains a haunting enigma. Was it a random scribble, a cry from Brown’s troubled mind, or something else entirely? Former FBI agent M. Quentin Williams, commenting on WCNC, suggested the attack’s randomness made it nearly impossible to predict, but the note’s presence hints at premeditation or an unknown actor. Charlotte officials have responded with promises of increased transit security, including more police presence and upgraded cameras, but for Zarutska’s family, these measures come too late.
As the investigation continues, the image of Iryna Zarutska in seat 14B, scrolling through her phone, unaware of the danger behind her, lingers as a stark reminder of vulnerability in everyday spaces. The note beside her, with its chilling words, deepens the mystery, leaving a grieving community and a stunned nation searching for answers in the face of senseless violence.