iryna zarutska why was she killed

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train on August 22, 2025. The attacker, Decarlos Brown, a man with a long history of violent crime and mental illness including paranoid schizophrenia, stabbed her randomly. Brown believed Zarutska was reading his mind, which he cited as his reason for the attack. He had a criminal record including armed robbery and breaking and entering, and had been recently released from prison. The killing happened suddenly when Brown pulled a pocket knife and stabbed Zarutska multiple times, including once in the neck, causing her death at the scene. The incident has sparked public outrage and raised debates on transit security, mental health treatment, and criminal justice system failures.