The family of Iryna Zarutska has released a statement for the first time since their loved one was brutally killed on a North Carolina light rail train, demanding justice and sweeping public safety reforms.
In a statement shared through their attorney, the family described her as a “kind and hardworking young woman, deeply loved by her family and friends.”
The family said they are devastated by her sudden loss and want the man accused of killing the 23-year-old to remain behind bars.
Iryna Zarutska, 23, was killed when taking a train in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2025. (@lucaveros225/Instagram; WBTV; Evgeniya Rush/GoFundMe)
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“We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way,” the statement reads. “No family should have to go through this.”
They said their immediate priority is ensuring accountability for Zarutska’s murder and stressed the case underscores a larger crisis in public safety.
“This could have been anyone riding the light rail that night… We are committed to making sure this never happens again.”
Zarutska, a refugee from Ukraine, was heading home from her job at a pizzeria when Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a history of mental illness and more than a dozen arrests, fatally stabbed her in a random attack, gruesome surveillance footage shows.
The ruthless killing has shocked the nation and fueled further criticism of blue-city policies that critics argue are soft on crime.
Brown has a history of mental illness and was arrested 14 times over the past 12 years, according to police records. He was arrested soon after the stabbing and charged with first-degree murder with the Department of Justice on Tuesday charging Brown with an additional count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
Mugshot of Decarlos Brown Jr., left, and surveillance image from the Charlotte Blue Line showing Brown on the train shortly before the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office; CATS)
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The Zarutska family kept their statement focused on transit security, calling for a full investigation into potential lapses in safety protocols and failures within the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).
They said her murder highlights a systemic breakdown in transit security and pointed to a lack of visible or effective security on the Blue Line, failures of oversight in the contract between CATS and its private security provider, and the absence of safety measures that they said could have prevented the attack.
The Zarutska family called on Charlotte city officials to publicly address transit security failures and enact reforms. They also want advocates and allies to join them in demanding justice and long-term change.
Zarutska had fled war for safety and opportunity in the United States and had been building a new life in Charlotte — working at a pizzeria and studying English at community college. (GoFundMe)
Zarutska had fled war for safety and opportunity in the United States and had been building a new life in Charlotte — working at a pizzeria and studying English at community college.
“That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon,” the statement reads.
“Tragically, her journey ended in violence near the Camden light rail station. Her loved ones became alarmed when she did not arrive to her apartment at the anticipated time and her phone’s location alerted them that she was still at the station. Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene.”
The family also urged the public and media to respect Zarutska’s dignity and their grief by not reposting or circulating the footage of her killing.