Stabbing on Charlotte light rail: Ukrainian killed, suspect charged

A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train on Aug. 22, and authorities have charged a 34-year-old man with first-degree murder as video released this week rekindled debate over public safety and mental health. Police say Iryna Zarutska was attacked aboard the Lynx Blue Line after boarding shortly before 9:50 p.m.; officers found her with multiple stab wounds and she was pronounced dead at the scene, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.

The Charlotte Area Transit System released surveillance footage Sept. 5 that shows a man later identified as Decarlos Brown Jr. sitting behind Zarutska and, at one point, taking out a folding knife. In the agency's video the moment before the assault is visible; some news outlets and edited versions stop short of showing the knife strike, while others reporting from full footage say Brown lunged and stabbed Zarutska multiple times, including a fatal neck wound. Authorities recovered a folding knife at the scene and say Brown exited the train at the next stop before being located and taken into custody. He was treated at a hospital for a hand injury, officials said.