Chilling footage shows woman who escaped war in Ukraine stabbed to death from behind by US train passenger

A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, was stabbed to death on Aug. 22 in North Carolina, in the U.S.

The New York Post reported that Zarutska was pronounced dead at the East/West Boulevard light rail station in South End, Charlotte, just before 10pm. She suffered multiple stab wounds.

She had escaped to the United States to flee the war in Ukraine.

Recently, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) released footage of the attack.

The footage is graphic in nature.

It has been confirmed that the two were not known to each other and had never interacted before.

CATS also confirmed that the man, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, did not have a ticket. He had been arrested multiple times before this, including 14 times in Mecklenburg, a North Carolina county.

He had previously been sentenced to six years in North Carolina prison after convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Suspect charged

Brown was transported to Atrium Health with non-life-threatening injuries sustained at the time of the incident.

A third party was also transported to Atrium Health at the time of the incident for a non-related medical event.

Brown will be arrested upon his release and has been charged with First Degree Murder.

Previous criminal record

According to court records obtained by the New York Post, Brown has been arrested multiple times since 2011 for felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats.

WSOC-TV, a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, reported that Brown is homeless and had served time in prison for robbery with a deadly weapon charge.

The Charlotte Observer noted that other past charges have been dropped, and Brown also has pending charges for misuse of the 911 system in January, following a police welfare check.

It revealed his troubling thoughts as Brown told authorities during the visit he believed someone had given him a “man-made” material that controlled when he ate, walked, and talked, according to an affidavit obtained by the newspaper.

“Brown wanted officers to investigate this ‘man-made’ material that was inside of his body,” the affidavit said.

Officers told Brown that he had a medical issue and there was nothing more they could do to help him.

Their response upset Brown and he called 911. He was arrested after he hung up the phone, according to The Charlotte Observer.

Police have yet to provide a reason for what led to the stabbing.

The CMPD said the investigation into this case is active and ongoing.

Top photo via WBTV News Charlotte