President Trump responds to Charlotte’s stabbing death as suspect in federal indictment
Ukrainian refugee Irina Zalutka was stabbed to death on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August.
A man accused of stabbing a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee to death on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on potentially capital murder charges, court records show.
DeCarlos DeJuan Brown Jr., 34, was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina with assault resulting in death of a railroad operator and mass transit agency, according to court records. He was previously arrested and charged in state court with first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 22 killing of Irina Zalutka.
On Oct. 22, a grand jury in North Carolina found that Brown “intentionally killed” Salzka in what authorities called an unprovoked attack, court records state. Federal prosecutors said Brown stabbed Salzka three times in the back with a pocket knife while they were riding a Charlotte Regional Transit System light rail train.
Officials said Salzka was on his way home from work at a pizza shop and was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown was arrested by responding officers on the light rail platform and later charged.
The federal indictment says the charges make Brown eligible for the death penalty. Both federal and state charges carry the possibility of the death penalty, but North Carolina hasn’t carried out an execution since 2006, while the federal government carried out one in 2021.
Zalczka’s murder received national attention after a video of the stabbing was released. President Donald Trump and his allies used the incident to justify plans to expand crime enforcement in Democratic-led cities.
Irina Zalutka’s death sparked a backlash against state and local authorities
Prosecutors said Zalutka fled the war in Ukraine and immigrated to the United States three years ago with her mother, sister and brother, where she lived in an air raid shelter. She settled in Charlotte with her family and worked several jobs, including at a pizza shop and a senior living facility.
Zarutka’s family said in his obituary that he was a “talented and passionate artist” who earned a degree in art and restoration from a university in Kyiv. According to her obituary, she dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant.
In early September, North Carolina transportation officials released graphic footage of Salzka’s stabbing, sparking an intense backlash against city and state officials. The Trump administration had argued that the murder was the result of Democratic policies that were too lenient with criminals and accused local authorities of failing to “appropriately punish” Brown after his previous arrest.
President Trump also escalated his threat to deploy the National Guard to cities run by Democrats. Local officials deny the Trump administration’s claims and have urged the president not to send in troops.
After the incident, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles (D) said the city would increase police patrols on light rail and begin new safety efforts. She also called for bipartisan legislation to ensure repeat offenders and people in need of treatment for mental illness are kept off the streets.
“Our law enforcement officers arrest people just to get them released quickly, which undermines our ability to protect and keep our communities safe,” she said in a Sept. 8 statement.
Court records: Suspect had a long criminal history.
Court records show Brown has a long criminal history and served several years in prison for armed robbery. Since 2007, he has filed at least 14 cases in criminal court in Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte, USA TODAY previously reported.
At age 22, Brown was charged in at least four separate cases, including shoplifting, theft, trespassing, and felony conspiracy. He was convicted of all charges except conspiracy, according to court records.
Less than a year later, Brown held a man at gunpoint in broad daylight at a Charlotte apartment complex and took his cellphone and $450, according to court records. Brown pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal, and a judge sentenced him to six to eight years in prison.
Jail records show Brown spent six years in prison followed by one year of probation.
His most recent arrest was in January on charges of abusing 911 after he asked police to investigate what he claimed was an “artificial” substance someone had put in his body to control his behavior, according to court records. A judge later released him without bail.
In July, a judge agreed to a defense attorney’s request to have Brown mentally evaluated to see if he was capable of understanding the court proceedings he faced. It is unclear whether Brown was evaluated before Zalzka’s murder.
Contributors: Christopher Cann and N’dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY. FT Norton, Fayetteville Warden. Reuters
