Newly released surveillance video shows the final moments of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska after she was stabbed to death on a Charlotte light rail train last month, as federal prosecutors file new charges against the accused attacker.
The extended footage, released over the weekend, has reignited outrage over repeat-offender policies that allowed the suspect to be free.
Brutal Attack
The video from Aug. 22 shows 23-year-old Zarutska cowering in fear with her hands over her face, spattered in blood, after being stabbed multiple times.
Footage of the moments after Iryna Zarutska was brutally stabbed
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 9, 2025
Passengers can be seen standing up and leaving instead of helping as her attacker, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., walks calmly down the train car.
Brown is heard muttering, “I got that white girl, I got that white girl.”
“I GOT THAT WHITE GIRL!” – Decarlos Brown, after stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death.
She fled war for safety in America—only to be murdered for being WHITE. But media calls it “random”? NOT a hate crime? Wake up! This is the blood on Dem hands. pic.twitter.com/o0UBBSkwiR
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) September 9, 2025
Zarutska collapsed moments later and died of her injuries despite efforts by bystanders to perform CPR.
She had fled Ukraine in 2022 seeking safety from the war and had been living in Charlotte with her family.
Watch the full unedited video here.
Trump Admin Statements
President Donald Trump also weighed in after viewing the footage.
“What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets?” Trump asked in a statement, blasting North Carolina’s former Democratic governor and cashless bail policies.
“Her blood is on the hands of Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail,” he said.
🚨 WOW! President Trump just released a video from the Oval Office addressing the kiIIing of Iryna Zarutska, pledging to take on vioIent criminals
“We HAVE to respond with force and strength. We have to be viscous, just like they are. It’s the only thing they understand.”
“We… pic.twitter.com/CSuRh8TPC7
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 9, 2025
On Monday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced Brown now faces a federal charge of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
If convicted, the charge carries the possibility of the death penalty.
“The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America,” Patel said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal prosecutors will seek the maximum penalty.
“This was a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies,” Bondi said. “He will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
The FBI’s Charlotte field office said it hopes the federal case will bring the family “a measure of justice.”
Brown’s Record
Brown, a homeless repeat offender, had been arrested 14 times since 2011.
He previously served five years in prison for armed robbery and was later arrested for assaulting his sister.
Screenshot
In January, Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes released him on a “written promise” after a misdemeanor 911 misuse arrest, despite his long criminal record.
The case has fueled criticism of judges and prosecutors accused of prioritizing leniency over public safety.
“This is a major failure,” one neighbor told the New York Post. “He had nobody. Even his mom gave up on him because he was too violent.”
Community Mourning
Zarutska’s obituary described her as an artist who loved sculpting and fashion design.
Her father was unable to attend her funeral because he remains eligible for military service in Ukraine.
Friends and neighbors said the family is “taking it really hard.”
A neighbor described her as “sweet” and loved in the community, noting she often cared for pets in the neighborhood.
