Once again, the truth about violent crime in Democrat-run cities had to be dragged into the light—not by the so-called “mainstream media,” but by alternative outlets willing to report what actually happens on America’s streets. The tragic murder of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who came here seeking safety, is a sobering reminder of what happens when a broken justice system puts criminals back on the street instead of protecting law-abiding citizens.
On August 22, Zarutska was simply sitting on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train, scrolling her phone. Surveillance video shows the man behind her stand up, pull out a pocket knife, and stab her three times in the throat without any provocation. Moments later, he was caught on camera walking through the train with blood dripping from his hand. Police have charged 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. with first-degree murder.
Brown is not some first-time offender. He has been arrested 14 times. He served five years for armed robbery in 2014. His own mother tried to have him institutionalized, recognizing how dangerous he was. The system knew who he was, had him in custody multiple times, and still allowed him back on the streets. That failure cost a young woman her life.
And yet, rather than focus on the glaring failures of Democrat-led Mecklenburg County, where Democrats have dominated local government for decades, Axios chose to complain that too many people saw the surveillance video. Axios even fretted that the spread of crime footage on social media provides “a visual counterpoint to statistics showing crime decreases.” In other words, the media’s real concern is not public safety—it’s protecting a narrative that downplays urban crime and shields the politicians responsible.
This is exactly why President Trump’s message about restoring law and order continues to resonate. He has long warned about the dangers of soft-on-crime policies that prioritize criminals over victims. Cases like this prove him right. A refugee who fled war in Ukraine was murdered on American soil, not because of lack of resources or technology, but because Democrats refuse to enforce the law and hold repeat offenders accountable.
The tragedy of Zarutska’s death cannot be undone. But it stands as yet another powerful reminder of what happens when ideology trumps public safety and when media outlets would rather scold Americans for noticing crime than demand accountability from the politicians who enable it.
