Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska tragically lost her life in a random stabbing attack while riding the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Blue Line train in North Carolina.
The 23-year-old had fled the war in Ukraine with her family, only to be fatally attacked in what appears to be an unprovoked incident. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., was seated behind her on the train and reportedly stabbed her in the neck without any prior interaction.
Disturbing surveillance footage released by CATS showed Iryna listening to music and looking at her phone moments before the attack. Brown then calmly walked away after the assault. Authorities pronounced Iryna dead at the scene. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department swiftly arrested Brown, charging him with first-degree murder.