Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles won the Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday, even as public outrage continues over the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on the city’s light rail system.
The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., has a lengthy criminal history, with more than a dozen prior arrests over the last 12 years. Security footage of the incident shows Brown approaching Zarutska from behind and stabbing her in the neck without warning. He was quickly arrested and charged with first-degree murder, and federal authorities have added charges for committing a fatal act on a mass transit system.
Lyles’ initial response to the killing sparked backlash. She suggested that Charlotte could not “arrest our way out” of broader issues like mental health, a remark many viewed as dismissive given Brown’s history of violent offenses. Days later, after intense criticism and the release of graphic video footage, Lyles issued a more forceful statement calling the killing “heartbreaking.”
“Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city,” she said. “I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.”
The attack has drawn national attention and intensified scrutiny of Democratic crime policies. Critics, including former President Donald Trump, blame progressive leaders for enabling violence through lax criminal justice policies. “The blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail,” Trump said this week, renewing calls for the death penalty for Brown.
Despite the controversy, Lyles remains the front-runner heading into the general election in this heavily Democratic city.
