Newly released 911 calls capture the panic and disbelief moments after the killing.

In August, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train in what police describe as a random and unprovoked attack.

Zarutska, who had fled the war in Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother, was traveling on the CATS Blue Line when she was attacked. Video surveillance later showed her boarding the train with headphones in, sitting quietly in front of a man later identified as Decarlos Brown Jr. The two never spoke.

Moments later, Brown appeared to reach into his pocket. Witnesses say Zarutska suddenly collapsed, bleeding heavily, as Brown walked calmly to the other side of the train.

Disturbing 911 Calls Released

This week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released audio of frantic 911 calls from passengers who witnessed the stabbing.

One caller told dispatchers in shock:

“This man f****** stabbed her for no reason.”

Another, trying to give location details, said:

“This lady just got stabbed … There’s a lady on the ground. She’s bleeding a lot. I don’t think she’s responsive. There is a lot of blood.”

The same caller added with rising panic:

“Everyone is screaming. People are freaking out. She looks young … I don’t think she’s responsive right now. There’s no pulse. I think she’s gone.”

A third caller could be heard gasping, “I think she’s dead,” while another described the suspect as a Black male with dreadlocks, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans, noting his hand was wrapped up.

Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death in August (ABC11)

The Attack and Arrest

Police later revealed Zarutska had been stabbed three times, including once in the middle of the throat. Despite frantic efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers arrested Decarlos Brown Jr. just minutes later at the next stop. A folding knife believed to be the weapon was recovered near the platform.

Brown has since been charged with first-degree murder and committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. He has yet to enter a plea.

A Promising Life Cut Short

For Zarutska’s family, who fled Ukraine in search of safety, the tragedy has been devastating. What should have been a new beginning in the United States ended in horror on an ordinary train ride.

The case remains under investigation as Charlotte residents grapple with the senseless violence that took the life of a young woman who had already endured so much.