A graphic video of a man stabbing a woman to death on a light-rail car in Charlotte, North Carolina went viral over the weekend.
The video shows a young woman wearing a baseball cap sit down in front of a young man in a red hoodie. Moments later, the man rises and without provocation plunges a knife into the woman, killing her.
The victim, Iryna Zarutska, was 23 and from Ukraine and is reported to have had no connected with the alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, who now faces first degree murder charges.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called the deadly attack a “a senseless and tragic loss,” and thanked those who “have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family.” Still, various edits of the video earned millions of views on social media over the weekend and led to leading voices on the political right to call greater attention to the crime rates in U.S. cities.
“Charlotte’s Mayor doesn’t want the media to show you the ugly truth. Why? Because she and other public officials in her city bear responsibility,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote on X.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller responded to the incident, saying the “Democrat Party at every level—judges, politicians, academics, nonprofits—is organized around the defense and protection of the criminal, the monstrous and the depraved. The more vile the threat, the more vociferously the Democrat Party works to protect and enable it.”
“Dems love Ukrainians,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X. “Until their stories don’t match the approved narrative of the left. Then they just become collateral damage to the left—like everyone else.”
The tragic incident, which took place Aug. 22, comes as President Donald Trump is sounding the alarm over violent crime in cities across America.
Trump has federalized the police in Washington, D.C. and deployed the National Guard to crackdown on crime. The president has indicated he has plans to take similar actions in other cities, including Chicago.
“[Six] people were murdered in Chicago this weekend, 12 others were shot, and in serious condition,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday morning before criticizing Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for not wanting “Federal Government HELP” to solve the crime crisis in his city.
“I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them,” Trump said. “Only the Criminals will be hurt! We can move fast and stop this madness. The City and State have not been able to do the job. People of Illinois should band together and DEMAND PROTECTION. IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!!! ACT NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”