Man faces federal charge in NC killing of Ukrainian refugee on light rail

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday charged a man with a lengthy arrest record with the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina commuter train last month, meaning he could face the death penalty.

The federal charge comes amid growing questions about why Decarlos Brown Jr. was on the street despite 14 prior criminal cases before he was accused of pulling out a knife and killing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in an apparently random attack captured on video. The case has become latest flashpoint in the debate over whether cities such as Charlotte are adequately addressing violent crime, mental illness and transit safety.

Zarutska had come to the United States to escape the war in Ukraine, relatives wrote in a GoFundMe post, describing her as determined to build a safer life.

Brown was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder by North Carolina prosecutors. He now also faces a federal charge of causing death on a mass transportation system, which carries up to life in prison or the death penalty.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the killing was “a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”

“We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man,” Bondi said in a statement.

The death penalty is a potential punishment for people convicted of first-degree murder in North Carolina. However, the state has not carried out an execution since 2006. Legal challenges over the use of lethal injection drugs and a doctor’s presence at executions have in part delayed action.

Brown had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade, with 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including serving five years for robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to court records. He was arrested earlier this year after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, claiming people were trying to control him. A judge released him without bail.

His mother told local television she sought an involuntary psychiatric commitment this year after he became violent at home. Doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

Video released Friday shows Zarutska entering the light-rail train and taking a seat in front of Brown, who was seated behind her. Minutes later, without any apparent interaction, he pulls out a pocketknife, stands and slashes her in the neck, investigators said. Passengers scream and scatter as she collapses.