New footage from the attack in Charlotte is shocking—23-year-old Iryna Zarutska died without help. The tragedy sparked outrage among the community and questions about the decline of values.
Brutal attack in a metro
Surveillance footage shows Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old man, attacking a young Ukrainian woman on the Lynx Blue Line subway in Charlotte shortly after the victim entered the train car. Iryna, fleeing the war in Ukraine, came to the US hoping for a new life.
Brown, dressed in a red sweatshirt, pulled out a knife after a few minutes of travel and stabbed Zarutskaya three times in the throat area. The attack was sudden and completely unprovoked-the woman was looking at her phone at the time, showing no signs of concern toward the attacker.
Na nowym nagraniu z ataku na Iryne Zarutska w Charlotte widać, że NIKT z pasażerów nie pomógł brutalnie zaatakowanej, rannej dziewczynie, która wykrwawiła sie na śmierć.
— Tomasz Grzywaczewski (@TomaszGrzywacz3) September 9, 2025
Coś przerażającego. Upadek człowieczeństwa.
https://t.co/SmVDQp3KfA
Passenger reaction – controversy and questions
The recordings clearly show that some passengers moved away from the perpetrator. Others only realized what had happened after a moment and, according to sources, tried to help Iryna, but her injuries were too severe to save her life. After the attack, Brown got off the subway at the next stop and was apprehended by the police shortly thereafter.

No one reacted quickly enough.
- Passengers initially moved away from the danger.
- Only after a short while did they notice that the woman was bleeding.
- The assistance provided was insufficient, and Iryna bled to death at the scene.
The decline of humanity or fear for one’s own life?
This event sparked a heated debate about attitudes and courage in critical situations. Many commentators are asking whether contemporary society is losing its fundamental values. Is indifference the result of fear, or rather a symptom of a deeper crisis of trust and empathy?
Racial context and media controversy
Controversy has surrounded the tragedy regarding the motive and racial background of the incident. Some commentators claim that the victim was the only white person in the train car. Decarlos Brown Jr. and Iryna Zarutska did not know each other prior to the incident, and according to court documents, the perpetrator had a history of mental illness and legal issues.
Full video of the attack +18
Unfortunately, we cannot attach the full video here, but we are providing a link to it on the X platform.
Warning: only for those with strong nerves.