In a crime that has shocked the world, the suspect who was arrested in the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska in North Carolina has voiced his reason for the attack.
Decarlos Brown, 34, was arrested for allegedly stabbing Iryna while on a train in August, and has been charged with first-degree murder for the crime, a charge that makes him eligible for the death penalty.
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The murder was caught on CCTV on the train, and the video has since sparked a national debate on the safety of the public in America.
A view of the memorial dedicated to slained 23 years old Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska at the East/West Blvd lightrail station in Charlotte NC, United States. Pic: Getty Images
Iryna had moved to the US after fleeing from the war in Ukraine with her mother and siblings in 2022, and her family has written an online obituary describing the young woman as a ‘gifted and passionate artist’.Attorney General Pamela Bondi has said the crime was a ‘direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people’, and that the department would be seeking the maximum penalty for Mr.Brown.
Decarlos’ sister, Tracey, has released audio to the Daily Mail from a phone call with her brother just days before he was arrested for the crime, in which he explained his reason for the attack.
Decarlos, who is schizophrenic, can be heard on the audio saying that he believed that the government had placed foreign materials into his brain and had controlled him when he attacked Iryna.
Decarlos Brown Jr. Pic: Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office
Chillingly, the 34 said: ‘I hurt my hand, stabbing her. I don’t even know the lady. I never said not one word to the lady at all. That’s scary, ain’t it. Why would somebody stab somebody for no reason?’
Referring to himself in the third person while describing the attack, Decarlos said he was on his way to the hospital during the train ride. ‘I was going downtown to the hospital to tell them… that I’m trying to get rid of the material… to stop going crazy.’
Iryna Zarutska, 23, of Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, 22 August 2025..
When Tracey asked him why Iryna, and why he targeted her, he responded: ‘They just lashed out on her, that’s what happened. Whoever was working the materials, they lashed out on her. That’s all there is to it. Now they really gotta investigate what my body was exposed to… Now they gotta do an investigation as to who was the motive behind what happened.’
In January, Decarlos was arrested after repeatedly calling the 911 emergency line, but was soon released after.
Iryna Zarutska. Pic: James Funeral Home
Since his arrest, Decarlos Brown has been charged with causing death on a mass transportation system in North Carolina.
President Trump made a statement regarding the murder of Iryna, calling for change regarding policies against repeat offenders. ‘She was killed by a man who had 14 previous arrests and was at large. We cannot allow repeat offenders to spread violence in our country.’
He then went on to make a statement on the platform Truth Social, calling for the death penalty. ‘The animal who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a “Quick” (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY,’ he said.
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