‘We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence,’ said the U.S. attorney general.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged the man accused of fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee on a light rail last month in Charlotte, North Carolina, amid a growing national outcry over her murder.
Last week, local officials in Charlotte released footage of the moments before Iryna Zarutska, 23, was killed. In the video, she is shown sitting on the light-rail in front of the suspect, identified as DaCarlos Brown Jr., who has a lengthy violent criminal history, before he takes out a knife and swings at her head. The video is cut short before he makes contact.
On Tuesday, the DOJ submitted a federal complaint against Brown in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte, saying he was charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
“We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence—he will never again see the light of day as a free man,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement in announcing the charges against Brown.
FBI Director Kash Patel wrote that the attack on Zarutska “was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America,” adding that the charges Tuesday are the ”first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family – as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals.”
Brown was already charged with first-degree murder in the slaying last month by local officials. It’s not clear whether Brown has an attorney.
Zarutska, who went by the name Ira, had come to the United States three years ago with her mother, sister, and brother seeking safety from the Russia–Ukraine war, according to an obituary. She was a “gifted and passionate artist” who had earned a degree in art and restoration from a Kyiv college and dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant, the obituary said.
The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States told The Epoch Times on Tuesday that it has “been in close contact” with her family and will provide them support, adding that it cannot provide further details on the incident.
“The Embassy is also in ongoing communication with local U.S. law enforcement authorities, specifically the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which is actively investigating the case,” the embassy added. “We sincerely appreciate their cooperation and commitment to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation.”
Zarutska’s death has drawn national attention, including from President Donald Trump and members of his administration. Trump has said that the incident suggests that his administration needs to do more at the federal level in terms of reducing crime in major U.S. cities.
“When you have horrible killings, you have to take horrible actions,” the Republican president said in remarks on Monday, referring to the woman’s death.
Brown has a long criminal history and spent several years in prison for armed robbery, according to court records. His most recent prior arrest came in January for misuse of 911, after he called police to investigate what he claimed was a “man-made” material someone had put inside him to control his behavior, according to court records.
He was released by a magistrate judge and later ordered to undergo a mental health screening, with the charge still pending.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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