Terrifying 911 recordings have revealed the frantic aftermath of the brutal killing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death on a Charlotte Lynx Blue Line train on 22 August.
Passengers can be heard pleading with dispatchers for urgent help as they tried to stem her wounds.
The chilling calls, obtained by the New York Post more than a month after the attack, highlight the horror faced by commuters during the seemingly random assault.
The Attack On Board
Zarutska, who fled Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was travelling on the light rail when suspect DeCarlos Brown Jr. allegedly lunged at her with a pocket knife.
Witnesses told dispatchers: 'A man just f***ing stabbed this woman for no reason. I was standing right beside her.' Another caller said: 'Police, man. This girl just got stabbed on the train. I think she's dead, man.'
A female passenger reported that bystanders were applying pressure to the victim's wounds while waiting for police and firefighters to arrive. The passenger told the dispatcher that she wasn't responsive, adding that bystanders were trying to apply pressure to her wounds. 'This lady just got stabbed. There is a lady on the ground with a lot of blood, we didn't see it,' she said.
According to Charlotte Area Transit System security footage, Brown jumped from his seat and stabbed Zarutska three times. Video reportedly shows her collapsing within seconds after trying to shield herself.
Brown's Current Status Amid State-Level Charges
The authorities identified Brown through the train's security cameras. He jumped out of his seat and randomly stabbed Zarutska three times.
The video then showed her curled up, her knees drawn up to her chest, with her hands covering her mouth. Before falling to the floor 15 seconds later, she looked up at her attacker.
Brown has been a career criminal with previous charges and is diagnosed with schizophrenia. After attacking Zarutska, he was reportedly seen walking through the train with his knife dripping with blood.
Several minutes after the murder, he was arrested on the train platform and was taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. He's currently in jail, awaiting trial for a first-degree murder charge at the state level.
In addition, Brown is facing a federal charge of causing death on a mass transportation system. Both crimes are punishable with life in prison or the death penalty at worst.
Brown has also spent most of his life between prison and freedom. One of his past instances included an armed robbery in 2014, which saw him put behind bars for five years.
While he was released in September 2020, he returned to his regular behaviour immediately. Before Zarutska's murder, he was recently arrested on 19 January for 'misuse of the 911 system'.
Brown's Questionable Claims
The Daily Mail reported that Tracey Brown, DeCarlos's sister, was given some questionable claims by her brother. He believes that the government planted foreign 'materials' into his brain, controlling his actions, leading to Zarutska's murder.
In a recording from the afternoon on 28 August, Brown 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. Why would somebody stab somebody for no reason?'
Brown added that he wanted police to investigate the materials which were 'controlling' him. Additionally, he frequently referred to the attacker in the third person.
Community Shock And Legal Next Steps
The murder has rattled Charlotte's Ukrainian community and prompted questions about security on public transit.
Local advocacy groups have called for increased safety measures and better mental health interventions for high-risk individuals.
Brown remains in custody while prosecutors weigh whether to seek the death penalty. A trial date has not been set yet.
