Two weeks after the brutal murder of 27-year-old Iryna Zarutska, former North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper finally broke his silence — only to face a firestorm of backlash for turning the tragedy into a political flex.
Rather than expressing straightforward sympathy or addressing public concerns, Cooper, who is running for U.S. Senate and would likely face Republican front-runner Michael Whatley in the general election, issued a campaign-style statement that many called self-serving and deflective. He wrote, “The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a horrible tragedy … I’ve been Attorney General and Governor, dedicating my career to putting violent criminals behind bars and keeping them there … It’s time Michael Whatley and the GOP get serious in Washington about funding our law enforcement, and that’s what I’ll do as Senator.”
The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a horrible tragedy and we must do everything we can to keep people safe.
Only a cynical DC insider would think it’s acceptable to use her death for political points, especially one who supported cutting funding to law enforcement in NC.
— Roy Cooper (@RoyCooperNC) September 9, 2025
Critics didn’t hold back. Instead of offering accountability or solutions, Cooper used Zarutska’s death as a springboard for Senate campaign talking points, drawing condemnation from across the political spectrum.
“This man waited TWO WEEKS to comment on the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska and then used it to launch an attack ad for his Senate run,” wrote conservative commentator Will Chamberlain.
Both Roy Cooper and Josh Stein are implicitly blaming Iryna Zarutska’s death on a lack of police funding – when police arrested the perp 14 times.
They will not take responsibility for their misguided reforms that let psychotic murderers run wild.
Their careers need to end. pic.twitter.com/Uqw3NLWuYs
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) September 9, 2025
The most devastating takedown came from citizens and analysts who connected Cooper’s soft-on-crime policies to the environment that enabled Zarutska’s killer, who had a long history of violent behavior and had been repeatedly released without bail.
One viral post highlighted Cooper’s 2020 creation of the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC), which implemented 125 “reform” recommendations, including reducing the use of cash bail, downgrading certain criminal offenses to infractions, and expanding “restorative justice” alternatives.
Hello Governor Cooper,
It is neither cynical nor partisan to ask how your decisions contributed to the environment in which this happened.
In June 2020, you created the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC) through Executive Order 145. That task force issued… pic.twitter.com/49OdFZS3s4
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) September 10, 2025
Under Cooper’s leadership, critics say, the justice system shifted from deterrence to leniency, and repeat violent offenders benefited. The suspect in Zarutska’s murder was reportedly released multiple times, despite clear red flags.
“You argue that critics ‘supported cutting funding to law enforcement,’” the post continued. “But these facts show under your leadership, the state itself redirected focus from deterrence and incapacitation toward leniency and diversion. Magistrates, operating within that climate, released Brown without bail even after multiple dangerous encounters. That’s downstream of leadership which prizes symbolic equity reforms over public safety … starting with you.”
The deepest pit in hell is where you belong
Not just because you were attorney general letting this animal run amok
Not just because you were governor letting this animal run amok
But to try to lie and play dumb running for Senate when blood is on your hands you sick monster https://t.co/bkPaYoKtXp
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) September 10, 2025
The man partly responsible for Iryna Zarutska’s killing, former NC Democratic Gov. (and Senate candidate) Roy Cooper, waits 18 DAYS before commenting.
He is a national embarrassment. #ncpol https://t.co/HP0PTQRTus
— Sloan Rachmuth (@SloanRachmuth) September 10, 2025