Charlotte city leaders look for transit safety solutions after stabbing death near light rail

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — At any given moment in Uptown Charlotte, you can see walkers, runners and bus riders. Some may wonder if they’ll get to their next destination safely.

Now there are calls for an even safer environment after the stabbing death of a woman near a light rail stop. Some Charlotte City Council members want to restore confidence in the city quickly.

Mallie Witt got a dog to ease her concerns about safety in the area.

“Don’t walk alone at nighttime. But during the day, staying and to stay away from gas stations,” she said. She says she’s worried about the excessive carjackings in the area. 

She’ll especially keep Bodie around after several incidents, including the Aug. 22 stabbing death of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska near the East/West Blue Line station.

At Monday’s meeting, Charlotte City Council member Edwin Peacock shared his concerns about what continued crime means for the potential light rail expansion.  

“The moment that the transit system starts to become something where it’s not considered to be safe is the moment in which you begin to lose riders. You begin to lose the momentum that you want to keep. And I don’t want to see our community. I know our council doesn’t want to see that as well too. And that’s why I want to request. Do we have a trend, mister manager? Do we have something that we need to respond to?” Peacock said. 

While police say violent crime is down by 8 percent, Ryan Grimaldi says perception and location matter.

“I think recently, like a lot of people’s eyes been opened to things happening. So I think it’s just getting more perception based on the acts that are happening in the areas that are happening,” Grimaldi said. 

“Safety is non-negotiable. If riders do not feel safe, our entire transit system and our city’s future are at risk, especially when are talking about $25 billion that is going to be on our referendum this November. We must address this proactively,” Ajmera said. 

She’s no stranger to taking public transportation.

“Our family did not own a car for many years, could not afford one, and we relied on public buses to get to work, to get to school and everything in between. So I understand when riders are reaching out, concerned about their safety, we must act now and we must restore confidence in our system,” she said. 

She says she recently took the light rail, but in light of recent events, she’s also concerned for her safety. She says she wants everyone to feel safer everywhere in Charlotte, including along the light rail.

“That’s why I had asked the city manager to provide immediate steps that could mean that we need more security or that we need additional security for both riders and operators. And there needs to be more security even at transit stops,” she explained. 

Ajmera hopes the immediate action taken by the city manager will also address increasing ticket enforcement, in hopes that it will add to the Uptown security.