23-year-old Irina Zarutskaya was reportedly murdered by a homeless individual with a history of criminal offenses aboard a train in North Carolina
A video released by North Carolina authorities depicts the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian woman on a Charlotte train. The assailant, identified as a homeless man with an extensive criminal record and known mental health problems, attacked her from behind without any prior warning.
Surveillance footage, made public by the Charlotte Area Transit System on Saturday and subsequently circulating widely on social media, illustrates the moments leading to the death of Irina Zarutskaya, 23, on August 22.
In the video, Zarutskaya, who had sought refuge from the conflict in Ukraine, is seen boarding the train and taking a seat. After a few seconds, a man seated directly behind her abruptly stands, produces a knife, and stabs her in the neck. No words are exchanged, and she appears to show no reaction before the assault begins.
The suspect, identified by law enforcement as Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is then observed moving through the train carriage, passing other passengers who seemed initially unaware of the attack, with a knife in hand and blood trailing onto the floor as he disembarks.
Police reported that Zarutskaya collapsed in her seat and was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown was apprehended shortly afterward and now faces charges of first-degree murder. According to public records, the suspect was unhoused and had been arrested multiple times since 2011. His previous convictions include armed robbery, breaking and entering, felony larceny, motor vehicle theft, and improper use of the 911 system. He had also completed a prison term in a North Carolina facility, being released in September 2020.
Brown had previously disclosed experiencing mental health issues, asserting that a “man-made material” influenced his body. In July 2025, a judge mandated a forensic psychiatric evaluation, which was, however, never conducted.