23-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska’s Final Moments Captured in Chilling Video

It was meant to be an ordinary train ride in Charlotte, North Carolina. But within minutes, a young woman fleeing the war in Ukraine would lose her life in a violent attack now captured on video. On September 9, 2025, newly released surveillance footage from the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) revealed the final moments of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed aboard a Charlotte light rail train last month, according to ABC affiliate WSOC.

The attack occurred on Friday, August 22, as the light rail approached East/West Boulevard Station. According to video footage, Zarutska — wearing a black shirt and cap — was seated in an aisle seat with headphones on. Behind her sat 27-year-old Decarlos Brown, who was wearing a red hooded jacket. According to investigators, the two had no interaction before the attack. Moments later, the footage shows Brown suddenly pulling out a knife and stabbing Zarutska multiple times in front of horrified passengers.