‘Her life was cut short far too soon’ : Young woman’s family suffer irreparable loss as she is killed at 23
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Ira’s loved ones come to terms with the horrific tragedy.
Iryna Zarutska was looking forward to new beginnings when her life was tragically cut short at just 23-years-old. Iryna had fled to the USA from war in her native country of Ukraine when she was stabbed to death in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department issued a statement on August 23, which read: “The victim in this case has been identified as Iryna Zarutska, 23.
“As a result of the continued investigation, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was identified as a suspect in this case. Brown was transported to Atrium Health with non-life-threatening injuries sustained at the time of the incident.
“Brown will be arrested upon his release. He is charged with First Degree Murder.
“Ms. Zarutska’s next of kin has been notified of her death and of this case update.”
Iryna Zarutska’s family has started a GoFundMe page which reads: “Dear friends,
“Our Valeria has suffered a terrible tragedy. Yesterday, her niece Ira, who was 23 years old, was killed.
“Ira had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning. Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon.
“This is an irreparable loss for her family. We have created this fundraiser to support Valeria and her loved ones during this heartbreaking time and to help them with the unexpected expenses.
“Any support you can give — whether through a donation or simply by sharing this page — will mean so much to the family.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and compassion.”
Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on a train and Fox News reported that “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said Zarutska was stabbed around 10:30 p.m. When officers arrived and found her, she died at the scene.”
Following Iryna’s death, there has been an outcry and Edwin Peacock Charlotte City Council At-Large, who has 2.5K followers on Facebook, wrote: “A week ago tonight, 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a refugee from Ukraine, was brutally killed on our light rail. Her loss shook our community.
“Tonight, I rode the train from South End to UNC Charlotte to see things firsthand — students, hospital workers, and yes, people using it as a shelter.
“Here’s the key question: are the people causing problems also riding without paying? I’ve asked city staff for three years of crime data.
“Charlotte deserves a light rail system that’s safe, reliable, and welcoming for everyone.”
Entrepreneur Camden Diggs took to Facebook and wrote: “Charlotte is a great place to live, but we need to take crime more seriously in this city and country.
“A 23-year old woman getting stabbed in the throat on the light rail is tragic and it’s going to stop many decent people from riding it for a long time. There should have been more security and more of a process on the light rail and people have been saying so for years.
“ I hope this is a wake up call to the city and the people living it. Prayers for Iryna Zarutska’s family. She fled Ukraine and thought she was safe in Charlotte. Let us grow from this experience and not let this happen ever again.”