In a stunning display of media deflection, Axios criticized “MAGA influencers” for drawing attention to violent urban crime, specifically in response to the recent horrific, deadly stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina. Instead of focusing on the deeply troubling facts of this case — a young woman fleeing war only to be killed while using public transportation — Axios decided to turn its spotlight on conservatives and Trump supporters for “elevating” the issue.
“The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases,” Axios tweeted, referring to its article that elaborated on the subject.
The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases. https://t.co/OIj3FYfDLE
— Axios (@axios) September 8, 2025
The attack occurred on August 22 aboard Charlotte’s light rail. DeCarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old man with a long criminal history, stabbed Zarutska multiple times, including once in the neck, as horrified passengers watched. Surveillance footage showed Zarutska collapsing while Brown casually stood near the doors, having removed his sweatshirt. Notably, he was reportedly riding the train without a ticket — another example of lax enforcement in urban areas. Zarutska had only recently arrived in the United States, having escaped war-torn Ukraine in the hope of a better life.
Despite the brutal nature of the crime, mainstream outlets barely offered any coverage, prompting widespread outrage among conservative commentators. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Trump advisor Stephen Miller, and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) amplified the story on social media.
Yet Axios — instead of investigating the clear failures of public safety, or questioning why a known repeat offender was allowed to roam free — chose to frame the story as a political tactic by conservatives. The article didn’t ask why the system failed Zarutska; instead, it asked why people on the Right were talking about it at all.
Axios seems more concerned about who is sharing the video than why the footage exists. The legacy media ran wall-to-wall coverage of racially-charged cases like that of Daniel Penny, but in Zarutska’s case, their zeal is absent.
North Carolina GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley used the incident to criticize Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s soft-on-crime policies, pointing to a 2020 executive order focused on racial profiling and systemic racism.
While Zarutska is barely reported in the mainstream media, Axios wants readers to focus on the supposed political opportunism of conservatives, not the death of an innocent young woman.
Axios got hammered on social media:
This really is a work of art. It’s like default mode for the media on any issue:
The ________ is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of _______ — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering ________ https://t.co/RKIA5jOW8m
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 8, 2025
The murder of Iryna Zarutska by Decarlos Brown Jr. is a story worthy of national attention. A Ukrainian refugee flees Russia’s invasion only to be stabbed to death by a repeat violent offender? National story — except it is bad politics for Dems, so it is Republicans pounce time. https://t.co/oFZXt05UxF
— Jerry Dunleavy IV ???????? (@JerryDunleavy) September 8, 2025
Pay attention to how Axios chose to headline this claptrap. No mention of the perp’s multiple arrests , no mention of the racial element, no mention of the refugee status of the victim. They don’t want to fuel public outrage over the dereliction of public servants responsible. https://t.co/YlgwUsyTm9
— Disinformation Expert Lizzy (@StarChamberMaid) September 8, 2025
You can always count on the “conservatives pounce” narrative.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) September 8, 2025