Charlotte is bleeding.
In just one week in October, eight lives were claimed by violent crime.
In a single 24-hour period in October, four innocent lives were brutally taken by homicide.
In another 24-hour span this November, three more lives were claimed.
These aren’t abstract numbers — they’re mothers, fathers, and children whose stories are being silenced.
On Oct. 3, the Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police declared a violence crisis and asked for Mayor Lyles and Gov. Stein to send in the National Guard to keep Charlotte safe — but to no avail.
Why is Charlotte Mayor Lyles ignoring these cries for help? Why is Gov. Stein refusing to send reinforcements? Why do the victims of rampant crime go unnoticed, while repeat offenders walk free?
It’s no wonder that Charlotte police officers are understaffed and overworked: Almost daily, violent offenders with lengthy rap sheets are released on laughably low bonds — or none at all. Once a vibrant city, Charlotte now increasingly feels like a criminal playground.
Take the heartbreaking case of Iryna Zarutska, a young woman brutally murdered. Her alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., had 14 prior arrests, including multiple felonies. Yet a magistrate released him for his previous crime without bond. This isn’t an isolated failure — it’s the direct result of systemic leniency.
But Iryna’s charged murderer, whose case caught national headlines, is just one of many repeat offenders in the Queen City.
Herbert Jordan’s arrest record is extensive — arrested over 50 times yet released back onto the streets before his trial for assaulting a female!
A Charlotte teen was arrested again this week — his 112th arrest in just two years — yet he was sent back out into the community to await trial.
More than half of those arrested for violent crimes in Charlotte have prior arrests. Why should our hardworking police officers have to overextend themselves to bring the same people in time and time again? Why do we have a system that is routinely letting out the worst of the worst into our communities?
Crime in the Queen City has clearly spiraled. While the media is puffing up numbers that crime is decreasing, those stats don’t tell a holistic story.
Uptown has seen a 200% surge in murders through the first three quarters of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Citywide in Charlotte, a single week in early October recorded 12 shootings, one stabbing, and three homicides. Aggravated assaults involving knives or guns rose to 111 in the first three quarters of 2025 — already exceeding the 86 reported for all of 2024. Strong-arm robberies also climbed, with 31 incidents in 2025 so far, versus 26 in 2024.
The Fraternal Order of Police has warned that local officers are stretched dangerously thin. Until our justice system reliably holds criminals accountable, Mayor Lyles and Gov. Stein must take action to protect citizens.
First, we have to stop the bleeding. Gov. Stein should emulate the success in Washington, DC, where President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard slashed violent crime by nearly half in the weeks following the surge — including 12 straight days without a homicide. Deploy the Guard now to high-crime zones, enforcing tough-on-crime measures that keep repeat offenders off the streets.
Likewise, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s partnership with the National Guard in Memphis yielded stunning results in just two weeks: 850 violent criminals and gang members arrested, 175 illegal firearms seized, and 44 missing children safely recovered and reunited with their families. These triumphs show that when local resources are overwhelmed, strong leadership and rapid action can swiftly reclaim safety and order for our communities.
Second, we need reform. Thanks to the leaders in the North Carolina legislature, Stein was forced to sign Iryna’s Law. Unfortunately, Stein only signed it after facing intense pressure from the citizens he serves. While the law delivers critical accountability — such as eliminating cashless bail — it remains just one step in the long journey toward real justice and public safety. We must ensure that the judges and magistrates appointed to preside over criminal proceedings are willing to protect our communities rather than serial criminals.
The Democrats’ pro-criminal agenda has failed in Charlotte — we must change course. Charlotte deserves leaders who put victims first.
Send in the Guard. Save Charlotte. Save North Carolina.