An obituary published by the family of Iryna Zarutska provides more details on the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death on the light rail in South End on Friday night. Zarutska came to the U.S. in 2022 with her mother, brother and sister to escape Russia’s war. She had an art degree from a college in Kyiv, loved animals and wanted to become a veterinary assistant. She had become fluent in English and was learning how to drive.
Police say 34-year-old Decarlos Brown will be charged with her killing when he’s released from the hospital. Zarutska’s killing appears random.
Brown’s mother told WSOC he suffered from schizophrenia and she had tried unsuccessfully to get him help and keep him committed to a mental health facility. Police and transit leaders have not commented on the case or said how they plan to address safety concerns on the light rail.