Video of Deadly Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing Draws National Attention
A deadly stabbing on Charlotte’s light rail system is drawing national attention after video of the attack was released last week.
The footage shows 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, being fatally stabbed on a LYNX Blue Line train on Aug. 22. Investigators say Zarutska was stabbed in the throat three times in an unprovoked attack shortly before 10 p.m.
According to the police report, “the train travels for approximately four and half minutes before the suspect pulls knife from his pocket, unfolds the knife, pauses, then stands up, and strikes at the victim three times.”
The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
“Blood visibly drips on the floor as the defendant walks away from the victim. The victim goes unresponsive shortly after the attack. The defendant is the assailant on the video. There appears to be no interaction between the victim and defendant,” the report states.
—
President Donald Trump was asked about the incident on Sunday while discussing crime in major cities. Trump recently escalated the presence of federal troops in urban areas as a crime deterrent.
On Monday, during a press appearance, the president denounced the deadly attack and called the killer a “madman, a lunatic.”
The video’s release has also sparked debate over whether sharing graphic footage of violent crimes helps raise awareness or causes additional harm.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles commented on the release of the video, saying, “The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.”
Source: CNN
Video of Deadly Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing Draws National Attention was originally published on theblockcharlotte.com
