CHARLOTTE — Lawmakers in Raleigh are demanding comprehensive information from the city and county regarding recent stabbings on light rail vehicles in Charlotte.
The inquiry comes after two violent incidents in 2023, prompting a push for increased safety measures and police staffing.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating the violent stabbings this year that resulted in the deaths of Iryna Zarutska and Kenyon Dobie.
Lawmakers have requested all documents related to these incidents as well as policies for recruiting and retaining police officers.
Wayne Harris, a regular CATS rider, commented on the notable increase in security presence on light rail vehicles.
“Stepped up security a lot, almost aggravated. But that’s good, though. That’s a good thing,” Harris said, emphasizing the necessity for heightened safety measures following the tragic events.
Reflecting on the loss of Zarutska, Harris stated, “Real sad. The lady lost her life over nothing. Never saw it coming. You know, that’s real sad.”
This sentiment highlights the community’s concern over safety on public transportation.
The State Auditor’s findings revealed that the Charlotte Area Transit System reduced the number of hired armed guards, raising further questions about security policies.
Auditor Dave Boliek commented, “It’s really vital for people to have a true understanding of that, so that they understand exactly the thought process going through City Council, the mayor’s office, and the city manager’s office.”
The city has acknowledged receipt of the House Oversight Committee’s letters and expressed its commitment to work collaboratively.
A spokesperson stated they respect the committee’s role and look forward to addressing the issues raised in the inquiry.
The city plans to engage fully with the House Oversight Committee to provide the requested information and improve safety on public transit.
Further developments regarding security initiatives and police staffing will be announced as the collaboration progresses.
Letter from House Oversight Committee:
Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §120-71 et seq., and the authority cited below, the House Oversight Committee (the “Committee”) hereby respectfully requests the production of the following documents, communications, and data as detailed below.
The Committee has an explicit duty to ensure that local governments receiving and expending public funds are prioritizing the safety and security of North Carolina residents.
In recent years, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has experienced a documented increase in violent crime and public safety incidents, including high-profile and deadly attacks occurring on public transit and in public spaces.
These incidents have raised serious concerns regarding law enforcement staffing levels, transit security, prosecutorial practices, and the City’s overall public safety strategy.
At the same time, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has made significant financial and policy commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the expansion of offices for equity and immigrant integration, and policies that limit or restrict cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Committee is concerned that these priorities may be occurring concurrently with the defunding, de-prioritization, or restructuring of traditional law enforcement and public safety functions.
This inquiry seeks to understand whether Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s policy decisions, budgetary allocations, and operational practices are effectively addressing rising crime, or whether public safety has been subordinated to ideological initiatives at the expense of residents, transit users, and law-abiding communities.
Accordingly, the Committee respectfully requests the following:
Please provide communications, including emails, messaging, or any other form of correspondence, and all documents, reports, memos, other written materials, or links to such, from January 1, 2020, to the present, regarding the following subjects:
1. The August 22, 2025, train stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, and the December 8, 2025, train stabbing of Kenyan Dobbie.
2. The perceived or actual increase in crime, including violent crime and crimes occurring on public transit.
3. Initiatives aimed at reducing criminal arrests, charges, and sentencing, or any other effort to “reimagine policing.”
4. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), specifically as it relates to security staffing, public safety, and criminal incidents.
5. Efforts and ability to recruit, retain, and staff law enforcement officers and fill law enforcement vacancies.
6. Efforts to fund, defund, reallocate, or reduce discretionary funding of law enforcement.
7. Policies or practices concerning cooperation, or non-cooperation, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) generally, and with ICE’s presence in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
8. All diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, policies, implementations, and related funding.
9. Strategic plans, policies, and procedures.
Please submit electronically, in machine-readable format such as .xlsx or .csv, any data from January 1, 2015, to the present regarding the following subjects:
1. The perceived or actual increase in any crime, including violent crime and crimes occurring on public transit.
2. The number of sworn and unsworn law enforcement officers and other employees, applications received, and vacant positions, as of January 1 each year, including January 1, 2026.
3. Jail capacity and utilization.
4. Efforts and ability to recruit, retain, and staff law enforcement officers and fill law enforcement vacancies.
5. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related employee positions and any funding tied to those positions.
6. Budgeted expenditures through FY2026 and actual expenditures through the most recent data available by funding source and specific purpose. For past years, please also provide machine-readable audited financials.
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 120-19, “all officers, agents, agencies and departments of the State are required to give to any [General Assembly] committee . . . all information and all data within their possession, or ascertainable from their records.”
Members of the General Assembly are exempted from the general prohibition against the inspection and examination of government personnel records. Id. § 126-24(3).
While we understand that you may not personally maintain all the requested documents and reports, we trust that you will fulfill your responsibilities by obtaining them from the appropriate channels.
Further, if you are aware of certain documents but do not have the authority to obtain them, please provide a general description of the document and the person or body that possesses it.
We request a full and complete response, including the production of any and all associated documents and machine-readable data, by no later than 12:00 P.M. on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Should you have any questions, concerns, or objections to this request, please contact Joe Coletti at (919) 831-4261 or Joe.Coletti@ncleg.gov.
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