A Charlotte man has been charged with a federal crime after the fatal assault on Iryna Zarutska on the city's light rail system. Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, is facing a count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Charlotte Division, James C. Barnacle Jr. made the announcement, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in her statement, clearly articulated the charges' significance, stating, "Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people." Directly assisting in the investigation, the FBI committed to supporting local efforts to bring the suspect to justice, as indicated by FBI Director Kash Patel's comments provided to the press. Patel said, "The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again."
The violent incident took place on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte on August 22, 2025, just before 10 p.m. The U.S. Attorney's Office reports that after officers responded to the assault-related call, they found Zarutska with fatal stab wounds inside a railcar. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators captured the disturbing sequence of events, showing Brown pulling out a knife and stabbing Zarutska from behind shortly after she sat in front of him.
Describing the impact of the crime, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson commented, "This brutal attack on an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination is an attack on the American way of life." Arrested on the light rail platform following the attack, Brown could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
