The Tragic Death of a Ukrainian Refugee and a Community’s Response
In a heartbreaking incident that has shaken the Charlotte community, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a light-rail train in North Carolina. GoFundMe quickly took action to remove multiple fundraising campaigns created on behalf of her alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., citing their policy that explicitly prohibits fundraisers for the legal defense of individuals charged with violent crimes. “All fundraisers for Decarlos Brown Jr.’s legal defense have been removed from the platform, and any donors have been fully refunded,” a company spokesperson stated. The campaigns were reportedly taken down within hours of being flagged, as the company actively scans for and blocks attempts to launch such fundraisers, especially following social media backlash that described the campaigns as “an insult” to the young victim.
Iryna Zarutska’s story is one of resilience cut tragically short. She fled Ukraine with her family in 2022 to escape Russia’s war, seeking safety and a new beginning in Charlotte. At the time of her death, she was working at Zepeddie’s Pizza, where she had become not just an employee but a beloved friend to her colleagues. The pizzeria has kept a candle burning in her memory, describing her as bringing “warmth, kindness and light” into their lives every day. Her family remembered her as a passionate artist and graduate of Synergy College in Kyiv, where she earned a degree in Art and Restoration. She was known for her creativity, love of animals, determination, and eagerness to learn – qualities that made her loss all the more devastating to those who knew her.
The circumstances of Zarutska’s death are particularly disturbing. According to court documents, authorities found her stabbed to death on the Lynx Blue Line after she sat in front of Brown, who allegedly attacked her without provocation using a folding knife. Surveillance video reviewed by media shows Zarutska boarding the train just after 9:45 p.m. on Friday, August 22, wearing her pizzeria uniform and scrolling on her phone as a man in a red hoodie sat behind her. Approximately four minutes later, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed her three times, including in the neck. The affidavit states that Zarutska was stabbed in the middle of her throat in what appears to be a completely unprovoked attack on a young woman who was simply commuting home from work.
The alleged perpetrator, Decarlos Brown Jr., is now facing charges of first-degree murder under North Carolina law and is being held without bond. Records reveal that Brown has a lengthy criminal history spanning more than a decade, including convictions for larceny and breaking and entering in 2013, as well as a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon, for which he served more than six years in prison. He was released in 2020 and remained on parole until 2021. More recent charges included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year. The case has raised serious questions about public safety and the criminal justice system, particularly regarding the monitoring of individuals with violent criminal histories.
While campaigns to raise money for Brown’s legal defense have been shut down, a separate, verified fundraiser supporting Zarutska’s family remains active on GoFundMe. The community response to this tragedy has been one of overwhelming support for the victim’s family, with many expressing both grief for the loss of a promising young life and concern about safety on public transportation. Zepeddie’s Pizza, where Zarutska worked, has become something of a gathering place for those mourning her loss, with the establishment expressing profound grief: “We lost not only an incredible employee but a true friend… We miss you more than words can say. You will forever be in our hearts.”
This tragic incident has resonated beyond Charlotte, drawing national attention to issues of public safety and the challenges faced by refugees seeking a better life in America. Former President Donald Trump mentioned the stabbing during remarks at the Museum of the Bible, saying, “We’re all people of religion, but there are evil people, and we have to confront that.” The death of Iryna Zarutska – a young woman who survived war only to fall victim to violence in a place where she sought refuge – stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the ongoing need for communities to protect their most vulnerable members. As Charlotte mourns this loss, many are calling for increased safety measures on public transportation and a renewed commitment to supporting refugees who come to the United States seeking peace and opportunity.
