The homeless man accused of brutally killing a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train had been released on cashless bail after a magistrate had let him go with only a "written promise" that he would appear in court despite a long history of violence and mental illness spanning nearly 20 years.
Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, has a long criminal history in North Carolina, with at least 14 arrests since 2007 for offenses including assault, gun charges, felony robbery, and larceny. His mother told local station WSOC that he suffers from schizophrenia and should never have been allowed to wander the streets, which led him to kill Iryna Zarutska.
Long Rap Sheet
Brown was a free man until the moment police say he carried out a brutal and unprovoked attack, fatally stabbing Zarutska, 23, as she rode the train home from her job at a local pizzeria. The horrifying Aug. 22 incident, which sparked nationwide outrage after the video surfaced last weekend, shows Brown sitting on the train before Zarutska boards and takes a seat in front of him, her blonde hair tucked under a simple black baseball cap.
She can be seen scrolling on her phone as Brown, wearing a red sweatshirt, pulls out a pocket knife, then suddenly stands over her and drives the blade into her neck several times. Moments later, surveillance cameras captured him walking around the train with the blood-covered weapon still in his hand.
Zarutska had come to the U.S. in 2022 to escape the war in Ukraine and build a new life, but the system failed her at every step.
The tragedy has also exposed glaring safety issues within Charlotte's mass transit network. Authorities say Brown boarded both a bus and the Lynx Blue Line train without paying.
Adding to the concerns, police do not directly patrol the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).
Since December, security has been outsourced to Professional Security Services (PSS). Although the contract allows for 218 security officers across the system, 32 of those positions — about 15% — remain unfilled, according to Q City Metro.
Administrative Negligence
In the aftermath of the stabbing, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles drew criticism for an initial statement that many saw as tone-deaf. She demanded compassion for people with mental illness but did not mention the victim, Zarutska, or the suspect's long history of violence.
However, hours later, she issued a very different message on social media, this time acknowledging Zarutska by name and sharply criticizing the courts and magistrates for releasing suspects like Decarlos Brown back onto the streets.
"As I reflect on the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, my heart continues to go out to her family and our community as we try to make sense of this horrific and senseless loss," she wrote.
"This was a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates. Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety. We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders who do not face consequences for their actions and those who cannot get treatment for their mental illness and are allowed to be on the streets."
Days later, the Charlotte City Council discussed rising crime on the city's transit system. Several members warned that residents no longer feel safe on buses and trains. "That is concerning. Clearly, our current safety policies are not enough," said council member Dimple Ajmera.
The court system's repeated decisions to free Brown also came under scrutiny, with many pointing to them as another factor in Zarutska's shocking murder.
Court records show that earlier this year, Brown was arrested after making a false 911 call. He had told officers conducting a welfare check that a "man-made material" was controlling his eating, walking, and talking.
When police said there was nothing they could do, he became angry and dialed 911 again, leading to his arrest. Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes released him with only a "written promise" to return for his next court date.
Brown's past also included a five-year prison sentence starting in 2014 for armed robbery, followed by another arrest for assaulting his sister after he was released.
Neighbors remembered Zarutska — who fled the war in Ukraine in 2022 to start a new life in Charlotte — as a kind and well-loved member of their community.
"She was sweet, the whole neighborhood loved her. She did a lot of pet sitting for neighbors, she was a good, sweet person," one neighbor told The New York Post. The family has been left heartbroken, and her father was unable to attend her funeral because he is eligible to be drafted into the war back home.
