What began as an ordinary evening ride on a Charlotte light rail turned into an unthinkable nightmare, one that claimed the life of a young refugee who had already survived the hardships of war. On August 22, 2025, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was brutally stabbed aboard a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) train. Newly released surveillance footage on September 9 revealed the chilling final moments of her life—an attack that came without warning, silencing a journey filled with promise.
The footage shows Iryna sitting quietly in an aisle seat near the center of the train, dressed in a black shirt and cap, her headphones on as she listened to music. Just behind her sat 27-year-old Decarlos Brown, wearing a red hoodie. Investigators later confirmed that the two had no interaction before the attack. In a sudden, shocking moment, Brown pulled out a knife and began stabbing Iryna repeatedly. Panic erupted inside the train. Passengers screamed, some rushing forward to help her, desperately trying to stop the bleeding, while others fled toward safety.