Surveillance footage has captured the final minutes of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska's life before she was killed during a Charlotte light rail attack, Independent reported. The 23-year-old had sought refuge in the United States after fleeing the war in Ukraine, only to meet a tragic end, according to a GoFundMe page created to support her relatives.
According to Independent, the Charlotte Area Transit System published video showing Zarutska boarding the Lynx Blue Line from East/West Boulevard station around 9:45 p.m. on August 22. Dressed in her pizzeria work clothes, she scrolled on her phone as a man in a red hoodie sat just behind her making unusual expressions.
An affidavit cited by CNN stated, "The train travels for approximately four-and-[a]-half minutes before the suspect pulls [a] knife from his pocket, unfolds the knife, pauses, then stands up, and strikes at the victim three times."
Video: The moment of the attack / Social media
The video, highlighted by Independent, shows the man leaving his seat after the stabbing, walking past other passengers who appeared not to notice what happened. Once they realized Zarutska was attacked, riders tried to help her, but she was declared dead at the scene.
Investigators said the suspect exited at the following station, where police later recovered a folding knife. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Brown, a 34-year-old homeless man, was taken into custody on August 28 and charged with first-degree murder, WBTV reported. He remains jailed without bond and was sent for a competency review.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles denounced the killing after the video's release, describing it as both "senseless and tragic." She said, "My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time."
As reported by Independent, nearly $75,000 was raised in a GoFundMe drive. A friend recalled, "Ira had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning. Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon. This is an irreparable loss for her family."
Axios reported that Brown was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a history of robbery and larceny convictions stretching back to 2011.
