A tragic story of hope turned into horror has shaken the Charlotte community and beyond. Twenty-three-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who fled the war in her homeland for a safer life in the United States, was brutally attacked and killed on a city train platform — an act of violence that has left residents reeling. Now, in a disturbing jailhouse phone call to his sister, the accused killer, 34-year-old Declaros Brown, shared his twisted reasoning behind the crime, offering a chilling glimpse into his troubled mind. Investigators say the suspect has a long history of severe mental illness, and the details emerging from this call have sparked outrage and deep concern about how the tragedy could have been prevented.
During the recorded conversation, Declaros claimed he had been “controlled” by mysterious materials he believed were implanted in his body. Speaking in fragmented sentences, he told his sister, “I hurt my hand, stabbing her. I don’t even know the lady. I never said not one word to her at all. Why would somebody stab somebody for no reason?” His sister, Tracey Brown, struggled to understand, asking why Iryna was targeted. Declaros insisted he wasn’t acting of his own free will, blaming an outside force for the attack. Tracey later revealed that her brother had been pleading for psychiatric help for years, but despite clear signs of psychosis, he was repeatedly released back into the community.
Surveillance footage from the Charlotte light rail system paints a starkly different picture from Declaros’ delusions. Investigators say Iryna was quietly sitting with headphones on when the suspect, seated behind her, suddenly launched a violent and unprovoked attack. Passengers rushed to help her as the train came to a stop, while Declaros attempted to blend in by moving to another car and removing his hoodie. Police were waiting on the platform and arrested him immediately. Authorities later confirmed that Declaros faces first-degree murder charges and has been permanently banned from Charlotte’s public transit system.
The heartbreaking case has sparked a wave of public mourning and political condemnation. Charlotte’s mayor called Iryna’s death a “senseless tragedy,” while President Donald Trump described the attack as “horrible” and urged a full investigation. For Iryna’s family, who escaped the devastation of war in Ukraine only to face unimaginable loss in their new home, the tragedy is almost too much to bear. Community members have begun holding vigils and demanding reforms to improve mental health intervention programs — hoping that no other family will have to endure such a devastating loss.
