The release of a disturbing video showing the murder of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line has ignited a storm of outrage, with Republicans and the White House blasting city officials and Democrats at large.
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to President Trump, wrote on X that “The Democrat Party at every level — judges, politicians, academics, nonprofits — is organized around the defense and protection of the criminal, the monstrous and the depraved.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy joined the criticism, taking aim at Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles after she urged media outlets and residents not to share the video “out of respect for Iryna’s family.” Duffy claimed Lyles was hiding the truth from the public. “The mayor and other officials bear responsibility,” he wrote, pointing out that the suspect, Decarlos Brown, had been arrested more than a dozen times before. He said the city “failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians” and stressed that public safety must come first.
Brown’s long record has fueled the anger. On August 22, police say he boarded a city bus without buying a ticket, then transferred to the light rail where Zarutska got on at the East-West station. A few minutes later, witnesses said Brown suddenly lunged at her with a pocketknife, stabbing her in the neck as passengers screamed in horror. Zarutska died on the train.
The killing has become a political flashpoint. Charlotte is pushing for billions in federal funding to expand its rail system if voters approve a sales tax increase this November. The decision on those grants falls to the Federal Transit Administration, which is overseen by Duffy. Critics argue that the murder proves the city isn’t prepared to keep riders safe, while supporters of transit expansion point out that this was the first homicide on the Lynx Blue Line since it opened in 2007, despite carrying more than 90 million riders.
The Charlotte Area Transit System said last week it has been investing heavily in security. Interim CEO Brent Cagle told reporters the agency has tripled its security budget since 2023 and is stepping up efforts to enforce ticket checks. But the promises have done little to quiet the outrage.
The backlash isn’t limited to politicians. Conservative commentator Matt Walsh blasted Mayor Lyles for noting that Brown suffered from mental health issues, comparing it to cancer and saying it needed compassion and treatment. Elon Musk also weighed in online, adding to the criticism of Charlotte leaders.
The North Carolina Republican Party announced it will hold a news conference on Wednesday to address the killing, signaling that the tragedy will remain a flashpoint in the state’s political debate.
As the investigation continues, Zarutska’s death has become more than a local crime story. It’s now a national flashpoint about public safety, transit funding, and how cities should handle violent crime.