Trump Calls for Death Penalty in North Carolina Fatal Stabbing Case

The suspect has been charged federally with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

A still from video footage shows Iryna Zarutska (Bottom R) scrolling on her phone before being fatally stabbed on a commuter train in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2025. Charlotte Area Transit System via AP

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump has called for the death penalty in the case of a woman who was fatally stabbed on a light-rail train in North Carolina.

“The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY,” he said in a Sept. 10 Truth Social post. “There can be no other option!!!”

Iryna Zarutska, a refugee from Ukraine, was fatally stabbed on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Aug. 22.

Footage of the incident, released last week, shows Zarutska wearing a baseball cap and sitting on the train in front of a man as she scrolls on her phone.

The man then pulls out a knife and stabs her from behind. The two did not appear to have interacted beforehand.

The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, had served time in prison, been briefly committed for schizophrenia, and was arrested earlier in 2025 after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, according to court records.

Brown was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder, officials said in a statement in August.

He has also been charged federally with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. That charge can lead to the death penalty. The federal case will run parallel with the state case.

Trump’s post was not the first time he has spoken out about the murder.

“When you have horrible killings, you have to take horrible actions,” the president said on Sept. 8.

Iryna Zarutska in an undated photo. Iryna Zarutska via Instagram via Reuters

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a Sept. 9 statement that Zarutska was a young woman who had been “living the American dream.”

“Her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” Bondi said. “I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. 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.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks about the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska during a daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Sept. 9, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The FBI has assisted in the investigation into Zarutska’s death.

“The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.

“The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again. I want to thank Attorney General Bondi for her pursuit of today’s federal charges, which are the first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family—as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals.”

It is unclear whether Brown has an attorney.