Killing of Iryna Zarutska
| Killing of Iryna Zarutska | |
|---|---|
Surveillance image showing Zarutska (right, sitting) and the perpetrator behind her, moments before the stabbing | |
| Location | 35°12′43″N 80°51′33″W / 35.211944°N 80.859167°W East/West Boulevard station, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Date | August 22, 2025 9:50 p.m. EDT (UTC−4) |
Attack type | Stabbing |
| Weapon | Foldable pocketknife |
| Victim | Iryna Zarutska |
| Accused | Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. |
| Charges | First-degree murder (state); violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1992 (terrorist attacks and other violence against mass transportation systems) (federal) |
On August 22, 2025, Iryna Zarutska was killed at the East/West Boulevard station on the Lynx Blue Line, in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had fled her country because of the Russian invasion, was stabbed from behind three times while seated on the train. The suspected assailant, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., was arrested upon exiting the train and charged with first-degree murder.
The killing became a cause célèbre, prompting statements from Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles, North Carolina governor Josh Stein, and President Donald Trump and attracting international coverage for Zarutska's status as a refugee seeking safety in the United States. Footage of the killing sparked outrage on social media, leading to policy discussions about transit security, fare enforcement, and gaps in the criminal justice and mental health systems. In North Carolina, the killing prompted the passage of House Bill 307, dubbed "Iryna's Law", which set out various criminal law reforms, including restricting cashless bail and seeking to resume capital punishment in the state.