Topics: Ukraine, Crime, Mental Health, World News, US News
The half-brother of the man who has been charged with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has issued a statement, believing the 23-year-old's passing was entirely 'preventable'.
For those who need a reminder of the tragic case, the 23-year-old was stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina last month.
On 22 August, Iryna was travelling on the Lynx Blue Line near the Camden Road area in Charlotte's South End, when Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, repeatedly stabbed her from behind.
Graphic video footage of her murder has circulated online, causing her family to ask the public and media to respect her dignity by not reposting it, reports the New York Post.
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She was heartbreakingly pronounced dead at the scene, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) confirmed.
Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, who has a criminal history that includes robbery and larceny convictions, and was arrested 14 times, has been and charged with first-degree murder.
A statement issued by lawyers on behalf of Iryna's family, which was obtained by WSOC-9, reads: "We are heartbroken beyond words.
"Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way."
The upsetting message added: “No family should have to go through this.”
As per the NY Post, the family have insisted that prosecutors lock up Brown, and address the 'broader crisis in public safety and systemic failure'.
Iryna's aunt Valeria Haskell also told the Daily Mail that the family are 'exhausted' after the national storm, adding: "I feel like people can't imagine what we are going through."
The publication also reported that Haskell said that the family are struggling to cope with the intense interest in the killing, and that Iryna's mother, Anna, is too scared to leave the house.
Iryna's obituary reads: "Iryna will be remembered for her kindness, her creativity, and the lasting impression she left on everyone she met.
"Her absence leaves a deep void, but her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her."
However, it's not just the victims' family who have spoken out - Brown's siblings have also issued statements.
His half-brother Jeremiah has provided press with comments on how he believes Iryna would still be here today if proper protocol had been carried by representatives of North Carolina's justice system.
Speaking to the New York Post, the man insisted: "I think they could have pretty much prevented it then."
It is understood that Jeremiah's remarks refer to the questionable terms previously set by one of the city's magistrate judges that permitted Brown to be released from jail in January, despite his habit of reoffending.
It comes as Brown's sister Tracey, has also shared what her brother allegedly said about the stabbing from behind bars.
The sister says she was assaulted by her brother in 2022 attack, where he bit her and broke a door, and has alleged he is a paranoid schizophrenic.
Speaking of a potential reason for the stabbing or Iryna, she told the New York Post: “When I saw the video, I automatically knew he - and I hate to say it because she didn’t deserve it - but he had come to some breaking point.
“I just tried to wrap my mind around. Why would he do this? Like, this is not him. And the only thing that I could think of is he just…broke. He couldn’t take it anymore.”
Tracey added: “He said he was on his way to the hospital, the mental hospital … I just wanted to know why her, because he had been on the train for a while before she got on.”
She explained: “And he said, 'Well, she was reading my mind'. He said 'She was reading my thoughts'.”
Brown's mother also told the NY Post that her son should never have been walking free, as his mental health was rapidly deteriorating.
"He shouldn’t have been released," the 51-year-old said of him being free on a 'written promise' to appear for a court date after his latest arrest a few months back in January.
She explained that she had taken her son to a homeless shelter just days before the attack, and that he had grown increasingly aggressive with both her and her husband.
"I think Carlos had an episode," Dewitt added, referring to the motive behind the shocking attack.
Brown has not yet entered a plea.
