The mother of the man charged with the murder of Iryna Zarutska has spoken out against the decisions that allowed him to be released from jail.
The mother of Decarlos Brown Jr., who was charged with stabbing Zarutska to death in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August, said her son should not have been freed after he was arrested in January.
Newsweek has contacted the Charlotte District Attorney’s Office for more information via email.
Why It Matters
Footage of the fatal attack quickly went viral on social media last week, furthering a national debate on crime—an issue President Donald Trump has focused on in recent weeks with a tough-on-crime rhetoric and plans to deploy the National Guard in major Democratic-run cities. Democratic lawmakers face the challenge of pushing back on Trump’s tough talk and tactics without appearing soft on crime.
What To Know
On Friday, officials released surveillance footage showing the moments before the deadly stabbing of a 23-year-old woman on a light rail in Charlotte last month, prompting new calls for safety on public transit.
The video, which the Charlotte Area Transit System released, shows Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, getting on the light rail and sitting in front of 34-year-old suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. for several minutes before the fatal incident. Brown has been charged with first-degree murder.
Brown’s mother, who spoke anonymously with local news, said the system that released her son, despite his criminal record and history of aggressive behavior, was “broken” and “failed.”
“My heart goes out to the victim’s family. What he did was atrocious. It was horrible. It was wrong,” she told Channel 9.
Brown spent more than five years in prison for robbery with a deadly weapon before returning home to his mother. However, she kicked him out because of his aggression.
“He started saying weird things,” she told Channel 9. “He started saying that he wasn’t in his body.”
“The system failed him,” Brown’s mother said.
Kimberly Best, a retired North Carolina judge, told Channel 9 of the mental health system, “It’s broken, and we’ve known that for a long time.”
She also highlighted authorities’ inability to cope with serious mental health issues, adding that the system was capable of processing only a handful of people at a time.
“If we don’t put the money in the front,” she added, “we’re definitely going to have to put the money in the back end.”
What People Are Saying
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, wrote on X on Saturday: “The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family. This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time.
“Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken—and I’ve 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.”
What Happens Next
Brown is being held without bond. A judge has ordered a competency evaluation to assess how the next steps will be handled.
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