Suspect accused of killing Ukrainian refugee in unprovoked attack on NC train now faces federal charges
The man accused in the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina train has been slapped with federal charges — and could face the death penalty.
Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old homeless man with a lengthy criminal history, has been charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.
Despite having 14 prior criminal cases, Brown was free and living on the street when he pulled out a knife and stabbed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska to death at a light rail station in South End, Charlotte, on August 22.
The seemingly random attack on Zarutska, who recently fled her war-torn home, was captured on heartbreaking surveillance camera footage. Her family said in a GoFundMe she had been seeking safety and “new beginnings” in America, but tragically died at the scene.
Brown was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder by North Carolina prosecutors. The federal charge that was added on Tuesday carries up to life in prison or the death penalty.
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