US: Ex-convict stabs Ukrainian woman to death aboard Charlotte light rail

Zarutska, who had been working at a local pizzeria, was still dressed in her uniform when she stepped onto the Lynx Blue Line at 9:46 pm on August 22.

Footage released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) shows her quietly scrolling through her phone, unaware of the threat lurking behind her.

Only minutes later, investigators say, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless ex-convict, pulled out a folding knife and stabbed her three times, striking her in the neck at least once.

Video captures Brown removing his sweatshirt and standing near the doors as passengers began noticing blood on him.

Zarutska clutched her neck as blood spread across the train floor before collapsing in her seat. She was declared dead on board.

Brown left the train at the next station, where police later recovered a folding knife. He was treated for a hand injury before being booked on a charge of first-degree murder.

Court records show Brown’s offences date back to 2011, including robbery with a dangerous weapon and making threats.

He served five years in prison and was taken into custody again in January after misusing 911, claiming that a “man-made” material inside his body was controlling him.

Despite transit security guards being present in another carriage, the assault went unchecked.

Spectrum News reported that officers arrived at the scene within six minutes.

The killing has intensified concerns about safety on Charlotte’s transit network.

At a September 2 meeting, CATS officials said a chief safety and security officer had been appointed, the safety budget tripled, and outdated cameras were being replaced with advanced systems.

The Charlotte City Council is due to consider extending police patrols on trains and buses on September 22.

Her family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $38,000.

“She had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning,” the fundraiser read. “Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon.”

Police said the motive behind the stabbing remains under investigation.