The senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train has left a community in mourning and a nation grappling with questions about public safety and mental health. In a heart-wrenching revelation, Zarutska’s fiancé, Stas Nikulytsia, shared that he had proposed to her, and the couple was set to marry by the end of 2025. Their dreams of a life together, built on love and hope after escaping the war in Ukraine, were shattered on August 22, 2025, when Zarutska was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack. The tragedy, captured on surveillance video, has sparked outrage, grief, and a renewed focus on the vulnerabilities faced by refugees and the systemic failures that allowed a repeat offender to carry out such a heinous act. This is the story of Iryna Zarutska, her love with Stas, and the devastating loss that has left an indelible mark on those who knew her.
A Love Story Born Amid Adversity
Iryna Zarutska arrived in the United States in August 2022, fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother. At just 23, she had already endured the horrors of war, including time spent in a bomb shelter in Kyiv. Despite these challenges, Zarutska was determined to build a new life in Charlotte, North Carolina, a city known for its welcoming immigrant communities. Described by those close to her as a radiant soul with a contagious smile, she quickly adapted to her new home, mastering English and immersing herself in work and education.
It was in Charlotte that Zarutska met Stas Nikulytsia, a fellow Ukrainian who became her partner and, eventually, her fiancé. Their relationship blossomed in the vibrant NoDa arts district, where they shared a trendy apartment and dreamed of a future together. Nikulytsia, 21, described Zarutska as his “life partner” in a poignant Instagram post, sharing photos of the couple smiling by a lake, her arms wrapped around him. “We were building something beautiful,” he said in a statement to local media. “I proposed to her because I knew she was my forever. We were planning our wedding for the end of this year.”
Zarutska’s ambition and warmth endeared her to everyone she met. She worked at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria, rising from an entry-level role to a line cook, and studied at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to become a veterinary assistant. Her love for animals was well-known, with neighbors recalling her walking their pets through the streets of Huntersville, always with her signature smile. She had recently bought her first car and was learning to drive, a milestone that filled her with pride. These small victories, hard-won after escaping war, painted a picture of a young woman embracing the American dream with open-hearted optimism.
A Fateful Night on the Charlotte Train
On the evening of August 22, 2025, Zarutska boarded the Lynx Blue Line light rail at Scaleybark station, just a few miles from downtown Charlotte. She was returning home from a shift at the pizzeria, dressed in her work uniform and wearing earbuds as she scrolled through her phone. Surveillance footage, later released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), shows her taking a seat in front of a man in a red hoodie, later identified as Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old with a history of mental illness and criminal activity. The two had no interaction, and Zarutska appeared unaware of any danger.
Four minutes later, the unthinkable happened. Brown pulled a folding knife from his pocket, stood up, and stabbed Zarutska three times, at least once in the neck. The attack was swift and brutal, leaving Zarutska curled up in pain before she collapsed to the floor. Passengers rushed to help, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown fled the train car, removing his hoodie as he walked away, blood still dripping from his knife. He was arrested on the platform by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and charged with first-degree murder. The U.S. Department of Justice later added federal charges for causing death on a mass transportation system, making Brown eligible for the death penalty.
The surveillance video, described as “gruesome” and “heartbreaking,” has circulated widely, prompting Zarutska’s family and Nikulytsia to plead with the public to stop sharing it out of respect for her memory. Nikulytsia, in particular, expressed anguish over the footage, which he shared briefly on social media to highlight what he called the “inaction” of nearby passengers. “This is important to know,” he captioned one post, accompanied by a broken heart emoji. The video also captured an audio clip of someone saying, “got that white girl,” raising questions about a possible racial motive, though authorities have not confirmed this as Brown’s statement or charged him with a hate crime.
Decarlos Brown Jr.: A Troubled Mind and a Broken System
Decarlos Brown Jr.’s background reveals a troubling pattern of mental illness and criminal behavior that went unaddressed. With a record of 14 prior arrests, including convictions for armed robbery, larceny, and breaking and entering, Brown had spent years cycling through the justice system. He was released on cashless bail in January 2025 after an arrest for misusing 911, during which he claimed a “man-made material” in his body was controlling him. His family, including his mother, Michelle Dewitt, and sister, Tracey Brown, described him as homeless and struggling with schizophrenia, often expressing paranoid delusions about government surveillance.
In a recorded phone call with his sister on August 28, Brown chillingly admitted to the attack, saying, “I hurt my hand, stabbing her. I don’t even know the lady.” He claimed the “materials” in his body had “lashed out” at Zarutska, whom he believed was reading his mind through her phone. This delusion transformed an ordinary act—Zarutska scrolling on her phone—into a perceived threat, triggering his violent outburst. His family had tried to secure long-term psychiatric care, but their efforts were thwarted by a system that deemed Brown not an immediate danger, releasing him back onto the streets.
The case has fueled debates about mental health care and bail reform. Critics, including former President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, have pointed to Brown’s release as evidence of “soft-on-crime” policies, arguing that stricter measures could have prevented the tragedy. Others, including local officials, highlight gaps in mental health resources, noting that Mecklenburg County lacks sufficient facilities to treat individuals like Brown before they escalate to violence.
A Fiancé’s Grief and a Community’s Outrage
Stas Nikulytsia’s revelation about his engagement to Zarutska has added a layer of heartbreak to an already devastating story. In his first public comments, shared through a family spokesperson, he spoke of their plans to marry in a small ceremony by the end of 2025. “Iryna was my light,” he said. “We escaped war together, and I thought we’d have a lifetime to build our future. Now she’s gone, and I don’t know how to go on.” Photos shared on Instagram show the couple in happier times, laughing by a lake or posing with family, their love evident in every frame.
The tragedy has resonated deeply within Charlotte’s Ukrainian community and beyond. A candlelight vigil on August 31 honored Zarutska and other victims of transit violence, with another planned for September 22 to mark 30 days since her death. Her uncle, speaking anonymously to media, described her as the “glue” of their family, a young woman who brought joy to everyone she met. A GoFundMe campaign for her family has raised over $110,000, reflecting the outpouring of support for a life cut short.
The case has also sparked national and international attention. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed condolences and vowed to stay in contact with investigators. In the U.S., political figures have seized on the tragedy to push competing agendas, with some calling for tougher sentencing laws and others advocating for mental health reform. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called the attack “senseless and tragic,” announcing plans to increase fare inspections and security on CATS trains.
A Legacy of Resilience and a Call for Change
Iryna Zarutska’s story is one of resilience, love, and unfulfilled dreams. She fled war to find safety, only to encounter violence in a place meant to offer refuge. Her engagement to Nikulytsia, a symbol of hope after hardship, makes her loss all the more poignant. As her family and fiancé grieve, they are also demanding accountability, calling for a full investigation into lapses in transit security and systemic failures that allowed Brown to remain free.
The tragedy underscores broader issues: the challenges faced by refugees, the inadequacy of mental health care, and the need for safer public spaces. Zarutska’s phone, an ordinary object that sparked Brown’s delusion, highlights how untreated mental illness can distort reality, turning innocence into perceived threat. As Nikulytsia and Zarutska’s family navigate their grief, they hope her story will inspire changes to prevent future tragedies.
Zarutska’s memory lives on through the love she shared and the lives she touched. Her fiancé’s vow to honor her—perhaps by supporting causes she cared about, like animal welfare—ensures her light will not fade. In a world that failed to protect her, Iryna Zarutska’s story is a call to action, urging society to address the root causes of such senseless loss.
