💖 HEARTWARMING: Iryna Zarutska’s former coworkers reveal how they continue to celebrate her life — from baking her favorite pizzas to sharing stories of her laughter and kindness.
In a surprising twist, a handwritten note she left behind at the shop was discovered, with words that now feel like a message of hope to everyone who knew her.

Pizza Shop Where Ukrainian Refugee Worked Before Train Stabbing Shares How They’re Keeping Her Memory Alive

Iryna Zarutska, 23, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack on Aug. 22, shortly before 10 p.m. on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, N.C.

NEED TO KNOW

The pizza shop where Iryna Zarutska worked in Charlotte, N.C. is remembering their beloved employee in the aftermath of her killing on a light rail train
Zarutska, 23, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack on the Lynx Blue Line on Aug. 22
“We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend,” the pizzeria wrote online.

The Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a light rail train in North Carolina is being remembered by the pizza shop where she worked.

Iryna Zarutska, 23, was killed in the unprovoked attack shortly before 10 p.m. on Aug. 22 aboard the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte.

Surveillance video of the incident went viral online, showing a passenger seated behind her suddenly standing up and attacking her three times in the chest with a knife, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. She was pronounced dead shortly after.

Zepeddies Pizzeria in Charlotte, where Zarutska worked, paid tribute to the woman in the aftermath of her killing.

“We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend,” a Facebook post reads. “Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief.”

The pizzeria went on to share that they’re keeping her memory alive by keeping a candle lit, calling it a “small reminder of the warmth, kindness, and light she brought into our lives every single day.”

According to her obituary, Zarutska, an artist from Kyiv, emigrated to the U.S. with her mother, sister and brother “to escape the war, and she quickly embraced her new life in the United States.”

“She dreamed of pursuing a career as a Veterinary Assistant while also working toward her independence by learning to drive,” the obituary read.

Before the incident, police said there “appears to be no interaction between the victim and defendant,” who is seen in the footage getting off the train after the stabbing, per the affidavit.

On Aug. 28, the suspected killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the attack. Brown was also charged by federal prosecutors and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Decarlos Brown Jr.Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office

According to CNN, Brown was previously convicted of armed robbery, felony larceny and breaking and entering. His mother told the outlet that he was experiencing homelessness and had suffered from mental health issues.

FBI Director Kash Patel called the attack “a disgraceful act that should never happen in America.” He said the FBI wants to “ensure justice is served and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again.”