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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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The family of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was killed on a train in North Carolina, has spoken out to demand justice and express their heartbreak, according to a report.
Speaking through an attorney in a statement provided to WSOC-TV, a family spokesperson called for public safety reform in the wake of her killing as well as an investigation into security on public transport.
The family said: "We are heartbroken beyond words. Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way. No family should have to go through this."
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The Context
Zarutska was stabbed in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22, on the Lynx Blue Line near the Camden Road area in Charlotte's South End shortly before 10 p.m.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, and a suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment due to a hand injury. A folding knife was located near the platform, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
A 34-year-old suspect Decarlos Brown Jr has been charged with her murder.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice said Brown had also been charged with causing death on a mass transportation system.
What To Know
According to an attorney statement made to NBC News, Zarutska had recently moved in with her partner and had been taking English classes.
The statement said Zarutska was "kind and hardworking" and loved by her family.
It said that she had texted her partner to say she was on her way home and he became concerned when she failed to arrive and her phone location showed she was still at the station.
"Upon arriving at the station, they were devastated to learn that Iryna had died at the scene," it said.
What People Are Saying
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said: "We need more cops on the beat to keep people safe."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X, "Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people. I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime, and he will never again see the light of day as a free man."
In a statement after the August 22 killing and Brown's arrest, Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles said: "Tragic incidents like these should force us to look at what we are doing across our community to address root causes. We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health."
President Donald Trump said Tuesday, "In Charlotte, North Carolina, we saw the results of these policies when a 23-year-old woman who came here from Ukraine met her bloody end on a public train," adding she was killed by someone "who is roaming free after 14 prior arrests."
U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement: "If mayors can't keep their trains and buses safe, they don't deserve the taxpayers' money."
What Happens Next
Brown is being held without bond at the Mecklenburg County Jail. A judge has ordered a competency evaluation, according to WBTV.
His next court appearance is scheduled for September 19.
Meanwhile, the new federal charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or execution.
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