Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles joins in criticism of NC courts, magistrate after stabbing

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said she’s ready to partner with legislators following a high-profile murder on the city’s light rail.

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed in the throat on Aug. 22 by a stranger on the LYNX Blue Line in South End. Lyles called her death “a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates” in a statement Tuesday.

The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, has a reported history of mental health issues and has been charged with numerous crimes in the past, including felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats. Almost all of those charges were dropped, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

“Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety,” Lyles said in the statement. “We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders who do not face consequences for their actions and those who cannot get treatment for their mental illness and are allowed to be on the streets.”

The new comments from Lyles, whose statements on the killing have evolved over time, are similar to those made by Republican local, state and federal officials. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said on X that Charlotte failed Zarutska because officials did not properly punish Brown for his criminal track record.

Lyles is prepared to work with leaders at the local, state and federal levels to address the issue, she said. The mayor did not elaborate on what that partnership could look like or what potential legislation she’d like to see come of it.

Brown, who previously served more than five years in prison for a 2014 armed robbery he committed while on parole, has cycled through courts off and on over the last 10 years. During that time, magistrates have set both secured and unsecured bonds.

In January, though, he was arrested and charged with misusing 911 when he told police a “man-made material” was controlling him. On the same day he was arrested, a magistrate judge (Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes) released him on a written promise to appear. That case was moving through Mecklenburg County Courthouse. A judge had ordered Brown be mentally evaluated to determine if he was able to proceed in the legal process one month before Zarutska’s stabbing.

Charlotte responds to light rail murder

The city is already making changes.

The interim CEO of the Charlotte Area Transit System, Brent Cagle, gave multiple presentations to city leaders last week that outlined ongoing efforts to address safety challenges. CATS increased security spending more than threefold since 2023 — from $5.8 million to $18.4 million, Cagle said. This helped to double security personnel.

And “effective immediately,” Lyles said CATS security personnel will have a stronger presence on Blue Line platforms. This will help increase fare enforcement, too.

Cagle told Charlotte City Council CATS does not believe Brown paid for a ticket before he boarded the light rail the day of the stabbing. While it is “not possible” for CATS to check every ticket for every passenger, Cagle said, more visibility will help dissuade people from riding without a ticket.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police will increase their patrol at key areas across the transit system, and CATS is rolling out new bike units and “urban terrain vehicles” this month.

CATS will ask City Council on Sept. 22 to approve an agreement that would expand its authority over security on the transit system, which would make it easier for CATS personnel to act on safety concerns at bus and train stations.

“Residents across our community and visitors to our region depend on public transit,” Lyles said. “We owe it to them to make sure our public transit system and our city are safe and secure.”

Charlotte Observer reporter Julia Coin contributed reporting.

This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles joins in criticism of NC courts, magistrate after stabbing."

Nick Sullivan

The Charlotte Observer

Nick Sullivan covers city government for The Charlotte Observer. He studied journalism at the University of South Carolina, and he previously covered education for The Arizona Republic and The Colorado Springs Gazette.