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Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death in North Carolina, suspect charged with murder

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Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death in North Carolina, suspect charged with murder
A police car in Charlotte, North Carolina. (WBTV)

A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was fatally stabbed in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Aug. 22, The Charlotte Observer reported.

The incident occurred at 9:55 p.m. while the victim, Iryna Zarutska, was on a train at the South End light rail station.

Zarutska had fled Kyiv in 2022 seeking safety from Russia’s full-scale invasion, and was described by family members as hoping for a new beginning.

“This is an irreparable loss for her family,” a GoFundMe campaign started by Zarutska’s aunt states.

Police arrested 34-year-old Decarlos Brown at the scene and charged him with first-degree murder.

Brown’s criminal record showed a long history of arrests dating back to 2011, with 14 prior court cases and a six-year North Carolina prison sentence for convictions including robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Court records show Brown displayed signs of mental illness earlier this year, and his public defender has filed a motion questioning his competency to stand trial.

This incident comes just weeks after a 16-year-old Ukrainian refugee was fatally pushed in front of a freight train in Friedland, Germany, on Aug. 11.

5.2 million Ukrainian refugees remain abroad, less than half plan to return, poll says
The Center for Economic Strategy projects that between 1.7 and 2.7 million Ukrainians may permanently remain abroad, potentially reducing Ukraine’s annual GDP by 5.1% to 7.8%.
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Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

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