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Elon Musk pledged $1 million for murals honoring Iryna Zarutska, killed on a Charlotte train.
Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte commuter train.
Elon Musk pledged $1 million to fund murals across the United States in memory of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on a Charlotte commuter train on August 22, a killing that sparked national outrage.
Surveillance video from the Charlotte Area Transit System showed Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, seated directly behind Iryna Zarutska before suddenly standing and slashing her neck with a pocketknife. Passengers screamed and scattered as she collapsed. Decarlos Brown was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder. Relatives said Iryna Zarutska had fled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, determined to build a safer life in the United States.
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Long History Of Warnings To Suspect
Court records reveal that Decarlos Brown cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade, accumulating 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including a five-year prison sentence for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Earlier this year, his mother sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment after he became violent at home and doctors diagnosed schizophrenia. In January, Decarlos Brown was arrested again after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, claiming people were trying to control him. A judge released him without bail, a decision now under heavy scrutiny.
US President Donald Trump offered condolences to Iryna Zarutska’s family, calling the suspect “a madman” during remarks at the Museum of the Bible in Washington. On social media, he questioned why Decarlos Brown had been free and riding the train, declaring, “Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also condemned local authorities, writing that Charlotte “failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians,” and citing Decarlos Brown’s “track record longer than a CVS receipt.”
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
September 10, 2025, 17:55 IST
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