To the unknowing eye, it’s an unremarkable scene.
Homeless 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown casually steps off the train in Charlotte, North Carolina, and strolls down the platform, clutching a red hoodie in his hand.
There’s no urgency in his stride, and no trace of the horror he’s just unleashed — only the ordinary shuffle of a man blending into the crowd.
But around him, passengers move frantically, casting anxious looks over their shoulders, while those who witnessed what unfolded in Brown’s carriage run for their lives.
For the first time, surveillance footage obtained by the Daily Mail lays bare Brown’s movements in the minutes after he stabbed Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a packed commuter train — a senseless killing that shocked the nation.
Zarutska, 23, had boarded the train after finishing her shift at Zepeddie’s pizza restaurant, heading home to her boyfriend after building a new life in America — far from the war-torn country that she fled.
But the young woman who had escaped violence in Ukraine couldn’t escape it here. As she sat down in front of Brown — a total stranger — he suddenly lunged at her, stabbing her in the neck multiple times with a pocket knife.
The disturbing video of the attack sparked widespread grief, anger, and questions about public safety as the nation comes to terms with the horror.
As Zarutska lay dying on the floor of the train, the footage shows Brown stroll down the carriage and remove his hoodie, which had likely been sprayed with blood during the attack.
The bright red hoodie made him recognizable, and the sight of it bundled in his hands as he strolled nonchalantly down the platform in the new footage is a chilling reminder of the horror that unfolded moments before.
Another camera angle from the footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows how, police tackling Brown to the ground and placing him in handcuffs five minutes after the murder.
One officer produces a flashlight and searches platform and a nearby trashcan for any signs of a weapon, while another rummages through Brown’s red hoodie.
It comes as the alleged killer is due to appear in court on Thursday, where he faces the death penalty after his murder charges were upgraded to federal terrorism charges.
His attorney is expected to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Another chilling clip obtained by the Daily Mail shows Brown arriving at the station and waiting for the train where he would allegedly go on to launch the deadly attack.
Brown, who is schizophrenic, appeared to be in an agitated, zombie-like state as he staggered back and forth on the station platform.
At one point, Brown sat on a bench and slumped over with his head hung low. He also began rocking from side to side, prompting one commuter to turn their head and observe his strange behavior.
In audio exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail last month, Brown told his sister in a phone call from jail that he had been hearing voices in his head which led him to launch the deadly attack.
Tracey Brown blamed the ‘broken’ US mental health system for repeatedly releasing her brother back onto the streets over several years when he tried to admit himself to the hospital for treatment.
He also has a lengthy criminal record and has been through the court system multiple times, with a personal gallery of mugshots to show for it.
‘He was a high risk. He was not in his right mind. He was not safe for society,’ Tracey Brown told the Daily Mail.
‘We know what he has been dealing with the last three years,’ she added. ‘And now an innocent woman is dead.
Meanwhile, Zarutska’s boyfriend Stas Nikulytsia, who she had just moved in with, shared a heartbreaking video showing her embracing her new life in America before her dream was cut cruelly short
In a poignant compilation posted to Instagram, Nikulytsia showed his girlfriend reveling in her new life – sipping cocktails, eating barbecue and dancing with friends.
The video also captured tender moments, including the couple embracing in an elevator, kissing the camera and enjoying time together.
Zarutska emigrated from Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother to escape the war, and she ‘quickly embraced her new life in the United States,’ her family wrote in her obituary.
They also said she had managed to become fluent in English ‘within a very short time’, and was ‘hoping for a new beginning’ when she came to Charlotte.
Zarutska posted a photograph of the high rises which punctuate the North Carolina city’s skyline on Facebook just nine days before she died.
The image appears to have been taken through the window of a train like the one she boarded on her final day.
Her family said that before starting her new life in the US, Zarutska graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration.
‘She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork,’ they said.
‘She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.’
‘Though she enjoyed adventures, sightseeing, and exploring new places with her close friends, Zarutska was also a homebody at heart, happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones,’ her traumatized family added.
‘Her mother lovingly recalls her ability to sleep for wonderfully long stretches—something she affectionately called an ‘artist’s gift.”
Zarutska’s family added that she had ‘a deep love for animals’ and dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant.
‘She often cared for her neighbors’ pets, and many fondly remember seeing her walking them through the neighborhood, always with her radiant smile,’ they said.
In the meantime, Zarutska was working at Zepeddie’s pizzeria in south Charlotte to pay the bills, while learning to drive to secure her independence.
The surveillance footage of her final moments on August 22 shows her wearing her unassuming work uniform – long pants with a black t-shirt and cap branded with the Zepeddie’s logo.
She had been riding back from the restaurant just before 10pm that day when the knifeman lunged at her behind, ending her life in a ma
To the unknowing eye, it’s an unremarkable scene.
Homeless 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown casually steps off the train in Charlotte, North Carolina, and strolls down the platform, clutching a red hoodie in his hand.
There’s no urgency in his stride, and no trace of the horror he’s just unleashed — only the ordinary shuffle of a man blending into the crowd.
But around him, passengers move frantically, casting anxious looks over their shoulders, while those who witnessed what unfolded in Brown’s carriage run for their lives.
For the first time, surveillance footage obtained by the Daily Mail lays bare Brown’s movements in the minutes after he stabbed Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a packed commuter train — a senseless killing that shocked the nation.
Zarutska, 23, had boarded the train after finishing her shift at Zepeddie’s pizza restaurant, heading home to her boyfriend after building a new life in America — far from the war-torn country that she fled.
But the young woman who had escaped violence in Ukraine couldn’t escape it here. As she sat down in front of Brown — a total stranger — he suddenly lunged at her, stabbing her in the neck multiple times with a pocket knife.
The disturbing video of the attack sparked widespread grief, anger, and questions about public safety as the nation comes to terms with the horror.
As Zarutska lay dying on the floor of the train, the footage shows Brown stroll down the carriage and remove his hoodie, which had likely been sprayed with blood during the attack.
The bright red hoodie made him recognizable, and the sight of it bundled in his hands as he strolled nonchalantly down the platform in the new footage is a chilling reminder of the horror that unfolded moments before.
Another camera angle from the footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows how, police tackling Brown to the ground and placing him in handcuffs five minutes after the murder.
One officer produces a flashlight and searches platform and a nearby trashcan for any signs of a weapon, while another rummages through Brown’s red hoodie.
It comes as the alleged killer is due to appear in court on Thursday, where he faces the death penalty after his murder charges were upgraded to federal terrorism charges.
His attorney is expected to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Another chilling clip obtained by the Daily Mail shows Brown arriving at the station and waiting for the train where he would allegedly go on to launch the deadly attack.
Brown, who is schizophrenic, appeared to be in an agitated, zombie-like state as he staggered back and forth on the station platform.
At one point, Brown sat on a bench and slumped over with his head hung low. He also began rocking from side to side, prompting one commuter to turn their head and observe his strange behavior.
In audio exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail last month, Brown told his sister in a phone call from jail that he had been hearing voices in his head which led him to launch the deadly attack.
Tracey Brown blamed the ‘broken’ US mental health system for repeatedly releasing her brother back onto the streets over several years when he tried to admit himself to the hospital for treatment.
He also has a lengthy criminal record and has been through the court system multiple times, with a personal gallery of mugshots to show for it.
‘He was a high risk. He was not in his right mind. He was not safe for society,’ Tracey Brown told the Daily Mail.
‘We know what he has been dealing with the last three years,’ she added. ‘And now an innocent woman is dead.
Meanwhile, Zarutska’s boyfriend Stas Nikulytsia, who she had just moved in with, shared a heartbreaking video showing her embracing her new life in America before her dream was cut cruelly short
In a poignant compilation posted to Instagram, Nikulytsia showed his girlfriend reveling in her new life – sipping cocktails, eating barbecue and dancing with friends.
The video also captured tender moments, including the couple embracing in an elevator, kissing the camera and enjoying time together.
Zarutska emigrated from Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother to escape the war, and she ‘quickly embraced her new life in the United States,’ her family wrote in her obituary.
They also said she had managed to become fluent in English ‘within a very short time’, and was ‘hoping for a new beginning’ when she came to Charlotte.
Zarutska posted a photograph of the high rises which punctuate the North Carolina city’s skyline on Facebook just nine days before she died.
The image appears to have been taken through the window of a train like the one she boarded on her final day.
Her family said that before starting her new life in the US, Zarutska graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration.
‘She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork,’ they said.
‘She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.’
‘Though she enjoyed adventures, sightseeing, and exploring new places with her close friends, Zarutska was also a homebody at heart, happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones,’ her traumatized family added.
‘Her mother lovingly recalls her ability to sleep for wonderfully long stretches—something she affectionately called an ‘artist’s gift.”
Zarutska’s family added that she had ‘a deep love for animals’ and dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant.
‘She often cared for her neighbors’ pets, and many fondly remember seeing her walking them through the neighborhood, always with her radiant smile,’ they said.
In the meantime, Zarutska was working at Zepeddie’s pizzeria in south Charlotte to pay the bills, while learning to drive to secure her independence.
The surveillance footage of her final moments on August 22 shows her wearing her unassuming work uniform – long pants with a black t-shirt and cap branded with the Zepeddie’s logo.
She had been riding back from the restaurant just before 10pm that day when the knifeman lunged at her behind, ending her life in a matter of moments.
tter of moments.