One year after Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death aboard a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, her family is suing the city.
The Murder
As reported on Monday’s AM Update, Zarutska’s family is arguing her death was preventable. On August 22, 2025, the 23 year old boarded the light rail just before 10pm following a shift at a local pizzeria. Approximately five minutes, Decarlos Brown Jr., who was seated behind her, stood up and stabbed her in the neck three times. She died at the scene.
Brown, who had a lengthy rap sheet and was well-known by law enforcement before allegedly killing Zarutska, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial and is expected to undergo treatment to restore his competency.
His mother told The New York Post last year that her son is schizophrenic, saying she struggled to have him committed a long time ago and blamed the justice system. He had been arrested 33 times and was criminally charged on 14 of those occasions. He was free on cashless bail after a magistrate released him with a written promise to show up for court after placing a bogus 911 call when he killed Zarutska.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit – which names the city of Charlotte and Professional Police Services, a private security company contracted by the Charlotte transit system, as defendants – accuses the transit system of contributing to Zarutska’s alleged wrongful death by failing to provide adequate security on the light rail, hire qualified people, enforce fares, and protect lawful passengers from foreseeable criminal attacks.
The Zarutska family’s attorney, Lauren Newton, told WCNC her death was “foreseeable” and “preventable” and the wrongful death suit is about getting “justice” for her loved ones. Newton said the family still trusts the criminal justice system will hold Zarutska’s killer accountable, but they believe the city also needs to be held accountable to make sure the light rail is safe for all to ride.
“The civil justice system is going to hold other parties accountable outside of Decarlos Brown Jr. We want not only for us to feel safe riding the CATS system, but we want folks who visit our community to feel safe. And we want to make sure that where we were is not where we go back to,” Newton explained. “Had there been physical barriers, turnstiles, gates to prevent Decarlos Brown Jr. from getting on the light rail on August 22, 2025, had there been fair validators, Decarlos Brown Jr. would not have been on that train.”
According to the suit, the family is seeking damages for Zarutska’s wrongful death, including funeral expenses, lost future earnings, and punitive damages.
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