Donald Trump delivered a surprising response when questioned about Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who tragically lost her life in an apparently random stabbing on a Charlotte, North Carolina train.
Reports reveal that Iryna, who fled the war-torn Ukraine alongside her mother, sister, and brother, was traveling on the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Blue Line when the attack occurred.
Decarlos Brown Jr., seated just behind her, is now the prime suspect accused of fatally stabbing Iryna in the neck without any prior interaction. Disturbing footage from the train shows Iryna calmly looking at her phone, headphones in, moments before the brutal assault. After attacking her, Brown proceeded further down the carriage.
Only 23 years old, Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene. Brown was quickly arrested, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed charges of first-degree murder.
Known to have a troubled past including mental health struggles and multiple criminal offenses, Brown appeared in court on August 29, was denied bond, and ordered to undergo a competency assessment.
After CATS released the chilling footage on September 5, the case went viral worldwide, stirring widespread outrage online.
When asked about the stabbing while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on September 7, Trump called the incident “horrible.” However, in a surprising turn, the president admitted, “I haven’t heard … when did this happen?” before adding, “I’ll know all about it by tomorrow morning.”
Later on his platform Truth Social, Trump shared a longer statement:
“I have watched the horrifying video of a beautiful young Ukrainian refugee who came to America seeking safety from the brutal war in Ukraine, only to be viciously attacked on a Charlotte metro train by a mentally unstable criminal. The attacker is a known repeat offender, having been arrested and released on cashless bail 14 times, most recently in January. How was this person allowed to be free on the streets and riding public transit? Criminals like this need to be locked up for good.”
