The murder of 23-year old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train in North Carolina last month has sparked ongoing concerns about crime in the US.
A video publicised on Friday by the Charlotte Area Transit System shows Ms Zarutska seated on a train when she is stabbed from behind several times in a seemingly random attack.
The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr, is charged with first-degree murder. The graphic video has circulated on social media since its release, attracting the attention of influencers, commentators and politicians.
President Donald Trump sent “love and hope” to Ms Zarutska’s family, saying on Monday that her killing was “horrible”.
“There are evil people. We have to be able to handle that. If we don’t handle that, we don’t have a country,” he said. Outrage at the case comes as Trump threatens crime crackdowns in Democrat-run cities including Chicago.
In an online obituary, Ms Zarutska’s family wrote that she fled the war in Ukraine along with her mother and siblings in 2022, and had “quickly embraced her new life in the United States”.
It said she was a “gifted and passionate artist”, loved animals, and was “happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones”.
“Her absence leaves a deep void, but her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her”.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said on Saturday that her death was a “senseless and tragic loss”, adding that she has been “been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city”.
“I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe,” the mayor, a Democrat, said in a statement on X.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said he was “appalled” by the footage of Ms Zarutska’s killing.
“We need more cops on the beat to keep people safe,” the Democratic governor said on X, and called for the state legislature to pass a law enforcement package to “address vacancies in our state and local agencies so they can stop these horrific crimes and hold violent criminals accountable”.
Republicans and right-wing commentators have raised questions about the role of the judicial system in the incident, including why Brown was free despite reportedly having an extensive criminal record.
He was convicted of armed robbery, felony larceny and break and enter, according to records obtained by CNN, and spent eight years in jail for robbery with a dangerous weapon. He also suffers from mental health issues and is homeless, according to media reports.
The suspect’s mother, who didn’t want to be identified, told local news outlet WSOC-TV that she believes the attack could have been prevented.
North Carolina Representative Brenden Jones, a Republican, wrote on X that Ms Zarutska’s death “is the result of decades of Democrat DAs and Sheriffs putting their woke agendas above public safety. Violent criminals commit crimes with impunity, while families live in fear.”
Republican Florida Congressman Randy Fine said he would “introduce legislation to hold judges accountable when violent repeat offenders they release commit new crimes”.
“Those 12+ judges that released Decarlos Brown Jr should have their day in court too,” he added.
While declining to comment on the specifics of the case, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather outlined the challenges of holding defendants with mental health issues accountable for their actions.
In an interview with Axios, he said many are held in hospitals while courts wait for them to be mentally able to stand trial.
