Incident Involving Ukrainian Refugee in Charlotte

A man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Irina Zaltoska seemed to acknowledge his actions in a video released by the Charlotte Transit Bureau on Friday. Authorities allege that Zaltoska, who worked at a local pizza restaurant, was fatally stabbed on August 22nd aboard a Charlotte Light Rail train by DeCarlos Brown, a man with a lengthy criminal record. The video shows events leading up to and following the assault, though it does not capture the moment of the stabbing.

“I got that white girl, I got that white girl,” Brown reportedly exclaimed as other passengers assisted Zaltoska, allowing him to escape as he waited for the train to stop.

The incident gained significant attention on social media after the video was made public. Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared his thoughts in several posts, referencing discussions about the murder from various users on X. Some social media commentators criticized the lack of media coverage surrounding Zaltoska’s death in comparison to that of Jordan Neely, who died on May 1, 2023, after being restrained by a Marine Corps veteran.

Former President Donald Trump and Transport Secretary Shawn Duffy also weighed in on the video. Trump described it as “horrifying,” highlighting that the young Ukrainian refugees had come to America to escape the war in Ukraine. He noted that the alleged assailant was a notorious criminal who had been arrested multiple times, often released due to cashless bail policies.

“Blood was seen dripping from the murderer’s knife,” Trump stated, implicating local Democrats, including former Governor Roy Cooper, in the tragedy.

Duffy criticized the failure to adequately penalize Brown, stating, “In failing to punish him properly, Charlotte has failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians. Safety must be the number one priority of elected officials.”