Charlotte mayor releases statement in response to new video of light rail stabbing

CHARLOTTE — Mayor Vi Lyles released a statement Saturday morning in response to a new video of a stabbing on the light rail in South End.

This is the Mayor’s second statement since the stabbing and first statement since the video was released on Friday.

Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death on the light rail in South End by Decarlos Brown on Aug. 22, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and CATS.

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Video released by the Charlotte Area Transit System shows that Brown boarded the train and sat like a regular passenger.

Zarutska boarded later and sat in the row in front of Brown. She was wearing headphones, and the two had no interaction whatsoever.

About a minute before the fatal stabbing, there was a shift in his behavior. Brown started to fidget with his hand, and his eyes widened.

Brown rested his head on the glass just seconds before he took a knife out of his pocket, stood up, and immediately stabbed the 23-year-old.

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Video showed that Brown then walked to the other end of the train, took his hoodie off. When the train stopped two minutes later, he stepped on the platform and was immediately arrested.

Several passengers had run to Zarutska’s aid, one dressing her wounds with his own shirt and attempting CPR. Another ran to tell the light rail operator what happened and to stop.

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.

The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.

This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers…
— Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) September 6, 2025

Mayor Lyles released her statement Saturday morning, thanking community members who were respectful in how they shared the footage out of respect for the victim’s family.

She also said she is thinking about the city’s safety.

“Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city," Lyles said in the statement. “I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.”

WATCH: CATS releases video of deadly random stabbing on light rail