CHARLOTTE — Officials with the Charlotte Area Transit System released surveillance video Friday of a deadly stabbing on the light rail in South End.
The video shows how quickly the random attack unfolded on Aug. 22 and how passengers rushed to help the victim, 35-year-old Iryna Zarutska.
Channel 9 was one of multiple news outlets to request this video with the purpose of better understanding the timeline shared by authorities in the days after the attack.
Decarlos Brown stabbed Zarutska to death that Friday night, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and CATS.
Zarutska was living in Charlotte after fleeing the war in Ukraine.
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Channel 9’s Joe Bruno has been one of several reporters dedicated to this story since Day 1 and reviewed the newly released footage.
Brown was seen wearing a red-orange sweatshirt on the train that was going to the East/West Boulevard Station, which had a lot of people on it.
Zarutska boarded the train and sat in an aisle seat in the row in front of him while Brown sat at the window.
She was wearing headphones, and the two had no interaction, whatsoever.
She was scrolling on her phone the entire ride.
Brown showed little to no emotion on the ride and rested his head on the window. CATS had said before that he looked like any other transit rider.
About a minute before the fatal stabbing, there was shift in his behavior.
Brown started to fidget with his hand and his eyes widened.
This stood out because we knew what was about to happen, but it wasn’t necessarily something that would seem strange or dangerous to you in the moment.
He actually rested his head on the glass just seconds before he took a knife out of his pocket, stood up and immediately stabbed Iryna Zarutska.
In Zarutska’s final moments, an angle shows Brown slowly walking toward the front of the train.
A man ran to tell the light rail operator what happened and to stop.
About 2 minutes and 5 seconds later when the train came to a stop at the East/West station, Brown stepped off the train. CMPD arrested him on the platform.
Heroic passengers rushed to Zarutska’s aid.
One man took his shirt off to dress the wound and attempted CPR.
The entire attack happened in just seconds. Brown did not talk to anyone. This crime was random, brazen and horrifying.
Zarutska’s obituary said she was an artist who loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.
It went on to say she had a deep love for animals and often cared for her neighbors’ pets.
She fled Ukraine with her mother, sister and brother.
Brown is in jail on those murder charges and CATS banned him from riding for life.
VIDEO: CATS, city leaders speak about safety concerns after deadly light rail stabbing
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