The brother of the man accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska says the tragedy could have been avoided.
He now blames authorities for allowing his sibling to remain free before the horrific attack.
Security camera footage
Iryna Zarutska fled the war in Ukraine seeking safety in the U.S.
But her life was cut short when she was brutally stabbed while walking home from work — sparking growing political outrage across the country.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was killed on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train on August 22.
Authorities announced that 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr. was arrested for the murder after being released from a local hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He now faces a charge of first-degree murder and now faces federal charges as well
Even though the killing occurred more than two weeks ago, it has only recently captured national attention after horrifying security camera footage emerged, showing the moments just before and after the attack.
Zarutska was sitting across from Brown, who at first seemed to ignore her. But moments later, he pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed the young Ukrainian refugee multiple times, killing her.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced that federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Brown, saying they want to ensure he will “never again see the light of day as a free man,” according to BBC News.
“He could do it again”
The brother of DeCarlos Brown Jr. says the horrific attack could have been prevented if authorities had acted differently. Brown’s 19-year-old half-brother, Jeremiah, who shares a father with the suspect, spoke out this week about his brother’s history and the system’s failures.
Brown reportedly suffers from schizophrenia, has a criminal record, and a long history of violent arrests — but Jeremiah said he was unaware of his brother’s mental health struggles.
“He could do it again,” Jeremiah told the New York Post.
“They should still treat him for his mental issues but there are consequences for his actions.” He added bluntly, “He should suffer the consequences.”
Jeremiah also argued that Zarutska’s death could have been prevented. Brown had previously been arrested in January for allegedly misusing the 911 system, The Telegraph reports.
According to reports, Brown called 911 claiming “man-made” materials inside him were controlling his body. When officers arrived for a welfare check, Brown became upset at how police responded and made another 911 call while they were still there, which led to his arrest.
However, he wasn’t detained.
Brown was released the same day on a written promise to appear at his next court date. The White House has since criticized the release, saying it left Brown “free to slaughter an innocent woman just months later”—a point Jeremiah agrees with.
“I think they could have pretty much prevented it then,” Jeremiah said of his brother being released earlier this year.
Family’s troubled past
Jeremiah said he had only met DeCarlos “once or twice” and acknowledged the family’s troubled past. Their father, DeCarlos Brown Sr., and another brother, Stacey Brown, have both served time for violent crimes, with Stacey currently in prison for a 2014 murder.
Jeremiah said he was “shocked” to see DeCarlos Jr. on the news.
Zarutska, 23, had fled Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia and resettled in Charlotte to start a new life.
A family spokesperson, speaking through their lawyers and shared with WSOC-9, said, “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 murder has reached the highest political levels in the U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the brutal killing, blaming Democrats and accusing them of “refusing to put bad people in jail.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also addressed the attack on Tuesday, criticizing the media’s handling of the story.
“Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of media – many outlets in this room – decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally, because it does not fit a preferred narrative,” Leavitt said.