Iryna Zarutska’s Friends Share Tribute Video Showing Her US Life

Iryna Zarutska’s friends have posted a tribute video showing some of the joyful moments in her life before she was killed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was stabbed on August 22 on a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Blue Line train and pronounced dead at the scene—Suspect Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, has been charged with first-degree murder.

On Monday, three of Zarutska’s friends posted a collaborative reel on Instagram celebrating the life she had, showing her barbecuing, swimming, playing cards, making oven food, dancing, pulling funny faces, smiling and laughing in multiple scenes.

Why It Matters

Zarutska’s death has ignited renewed scrutiny of mental health policies and crime in urban areas. The case has prompted a fierce debate over why a suspect with Brown’s criminal record was free while allies of President Donald Trump point to the slaying as justification for the president’s federal takeover of Washington and his plans for federal intervention in other large cities.

What To Know

In the video, posted with the caption “#irynazarutska #foreveryoung #alwaysloved,” Zarutska is seen playing several board games, mixing drinks, hugging her friends, playing around in the pool, jumping off a young man’s shoulders, walking on a treadmill in the gym.

The skyline in many of the clips resemble that of Charlotte’s in North Carolina, suggesting the montage shows Zarutska’s life in the U.S., to which she moved after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Zarutska’s uncle has spoken out about his family’s grief, telling Good Morning America: “Iryna was…she was the glue of the family.”

He said the surveillance footage, which shows the young woman being stabbed multiple times, was “just absolutely terrible.”

Brown, who was known to the police as having schizophrenia and had previous arrests and convictions spanning over a decade, had been released after an arrest in January.

Tracy Brown said she believed that her brother should not have been on the streets, having tried multiple times in recent years to be admitted to hospital for psychiatric help. The suspect’s mother has made similar remarks.

What People Are Saying

Lonnie, a family friend of Zarutska’s, told WCNC in August: “She left Ukraine to make her life better. She moves into this area, her life was better, and ends up getting murdered just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles previously wrote in a post on X: “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.”

She added: “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.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously posted on X, “Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream—her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people. I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime, and he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”

What Happens Next

The Department of Justice has said that Brown had also been charged with causing death on a mass transportation system. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or execution.