The shocking killing of a young Ukrainian refugee in North Carolina has sparked anger and debate about crime and mental health in the United States.
Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old who had fled Russia’s war on Ukraine, was stabbed to death on August 22 while riding a light rail train in Charlotte. She was still in her pizzeria uniform when she was attacked without warning by 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a long record of violent crimes. Police said the stabbing was both “random” and “unprovoked.”
The Suspect Was Involved in Crimes Earlier Also
Brown’s past shows many red flags. Since 2011, he had been arrested several times for crimes like robbery and theft. In January this year, he was arrested for misusing 911. By July, his lawyer had asked the court to declare him mentally unfit for trial. Brown even claimed at one point that “man-made material” was controlling his body. Despite these signs of severe mental illness, he was released again and again without close supervision.
When Zarutska was killed, a court-ordered mental health check for Brown was still unfinished. His mother later told a court that he suffers from schizophrenia and that the family had tried many times to get him treatment but failed. She said her son had “fallen through the cracks of a broken system.” Her words added to rising worries about how the U.S. handles people who are both mentally ill and dangerous.
People Express Anger Over the Murder of Iryna Zarutska
The killing caused widespread anger, especially online, after CCTV footage of the attack was shared. Many people believe Zarutska’s death could have been prevented if the system had acted earlier.
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) said it will triple its security budget. It also plans to add more cameras and increase patrols. The Charlotte City Council is thinking about putting more police on trains and buses to make passengers feel safer.
According to the BBC, Zarutska had been studying at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College since 2023. Friends and coworkers remembered her as smart and hardworking, eager to start a new life after escaping the war.
A man, who said he was a human rights defender, said the attack might have been avoided if the culprit had been kept in jail for his earlier crime.
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