Haunting new video revealed the terrifying second a homeless ex-con allegedly fatally stabbed a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee in what police stated was a random assault on a Charlotte gentle rail prepare.
Iryna Zarutska, who fled war-torn Ukraine for a safer life in America, was on the Lynx Blue Line simply earlier than 10 p.m. Aug. 22 when she was ambushed, in keeping with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Division.
The surveillance footage, launched Friday by the Charlotte Space Transit System or CATS, exhibits Zarutska boarding the prepare in her pizzeria uniform at 9:46 p.m. and sitting, her cellphone, unaware of the hazard behind her.
Simply 4 minutes later, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. allegedly whips out a folding knife and lunges ahead, stabbing her thrice, no less than as soon as within the neck, police stated.
The chilling video then seems to point out Brown then strolling by means of the rail automobile, stripping off his sweatshirt and ready by the doorways — as passengers started to note blood dripping from him.
Zarutska, who grabbed her neck as blood spilled onto the prepare flooring, collapsed in her seat and was pronounced useless on the sunshine rail, investigators stated.
Police stated Brown obtained off on the subsequent cease, the place a folding knife was later recovered close to the platform. He was handled at a hospital for a reduce on his hand earlier than being taken into custody on a homicide cost.
It took six minutes for police to reply, in keeping with Spectrum Information, which famous transit safety guards have been on the prepare, however within the automobile forward of Zarutska’s when she was attacked.
Brown — who has a number of arrests courting again to 2011 — was charged with first-degree homicide, in keeping with CMPD. His file consists of larceny, theft with a harmful weapon and speaking threats, in keeping with court docket information obtained by The Submit.
The suspect is homeless and as soon as served 5 years in jail for the theft with a lethal weapon cost, in keeping with WSOC-TV.
In January, Brown was arrested and charged with misusing 911 after a police welfare test, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Throughout that incident, officers stated he bizarrely claimed a “man-made” materials inside his physique was controlling him as he ate, walked and talked, in keeping with an affidavit cited by the outlet.
“Brown wished officers to research this ‘man-made’ materials that was inside his physique,” the affidavit stated.
CATS officers stated throughout a Sept. 2 public transit assembly they’ve since employed a chief security and safety officer, tripled the protection funds and begun changing getting older cameras with high-tech upgrades.
On Sept. 22, the Charlotte Metropolis Council will take into account a plan to develop Charlotte-Mecklenburg police patrols on buses and trains. CATS officers additionally stated Friday the video was launched attributable to media requests.
A GoFundMe arrange by Zarutska’s household, which has raised greater than $38,000 thus far, stated she had “just lately arrived in america, in search of security from the struggle and hoping for a brand new starting.”
“Tragically, her life was reduce brief far too quickly,” the fundraiser learn.
The investigation stays ongoing as police proceed to seek for a motive.
