The girl on the bus refers to 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train on August 22, 2025. The attack was unprovoked by a man named Decarlos Brown Jr., who was seated behind her and pulled out a pocket knife during the ride, stabbing her multiple times in the neck. She collapsed and was pronounced dead shortly after. Brown was immediately arrested at the train platform and now faces first-degree murder charges at the state level and a federal criminal charge for causing death on a mass transportation system. Brown has a history of criminal activity and mental health issues. The incident has sparked outrage and discussions on public safety and mental health management in the criminal justice system. No passengers intervened during the attack. Iryna had fled the war in Ukraine with her family and was described as a talented artist and animal lover seeking a safer life in the US.
