A man believed to be Iryna Zarutska’s boyfriend has shared videos criticizing the judge who allowed the murder suspect to be released. Iryna, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was tragically stabbed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22. She had previously informed her partner, Stanislav Nikulytsia, that she would soon be home.
Iryna had boarded the late-night Blue Line train at Scaleybark Station, close to Downtown Charlotte. She took a seat in front of Decarlos Brown Jr, the 34-year-old suspect now charged with first-degree murder for the unprovoked attack.
Video footage of the incident has gained significant attention online. It shows Brown drawing what appears to be a pocket-knife, then looking out the window casually. The video then captures the suspect leaping up and stabbing Iryna before walking away, leaving her clutching her chest and face while other passengers looked on.
In response, her boyfriend Nikulytsia, 21, reposted clips on Instagram criticizing Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. Stokes had freed Brown on cashless bail seven months before the incident that he is now accused of. Nikulytsia called Stokes an ‘unqualified’ judge in his posts.
Stokes is reported to have released Brown, who former President Donald Trump described as a ‘career criminal,’ in January on the condition of a ‘written promise’ that he would attend a future court hearing.
Tracey Brown, the suspect’s sister, has since spoken to the Daily Mail regarding her brother’s mental health. She visited him in person and expressed concerns over him being free to roam the streets. She recalled efforts made to get her brother admitted to a hospital multiple times over the years due to his declining mental health, stating that he was often released after just 24 hours.
“I strongly feel like he should not have been on the streets at all,” Tracey said.
“I’m going to be honest. I’m not blaming anyone for his actions, except for the state. I’m blaming the state for letting him down as far as seeking help.”
“When you have mentally ill people seeking help, and you’re running tests on them, and you clearly see that you are dealing with a psychosis on an acute level, you do not let them go back into society.”
She added: “He was a high risk. He was not in his right mind. He was not safe for society. We know what he has been dealing with the last three years and now an innocent woman is dead.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.