The US House Judiciary Committee will be holding a field hearing in Charlotte on Sept. 29, following the murder of Iryna Zarutska, 23, on Charlotte’s light rail shortly before 10pm on Aug. 22.
Video captured 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. allegedly stabbing the Ukrainian refugee as she was riding the train on her way home from work.
Surveillance video obtained by WBTV shows Zarutska entering Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line, taking a seat in front of Brown, and listening to music. Roughly four minutes later, Brown allegedly stabbed her in the neck three times.
He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. In addition, US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson announced on Sept. 10 that Brown is also facing federal charges. He is currently being held without bond.
Jail records show Brown has several prior convictions, including armed robbery, felony larceny, breaking and entering, and shoplifting.
The hearing will highlight recent criminal activity in the Queen City and was scheduled before the assassination last week of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, according to Fox News Digital.
Congressman Jeff Van Drew, a Republican of New Jersey who is chairman of the committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, which will oversee the hearing, confirmed it on X.
A 14-time repeat offender and judges in a blue city let him walk free.
— Congressman Jeff Van Drew (@Congressman_JVD) September 16, 2025
Now Iryna Zarutska is dead.
As Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee, I’m holding this hearing in Charlotte to expose a broken system that puts criminals first. https://t.co/GnkzA2sdR6
US Rep. Mark Harris, R-NC8, also commented on X, saying, “Justice is coming.”
The committee has visited other Democrat-led cities, including New York City and Chicago, to highlight high crime rates and other issues.
Lawmakers at the hearings have taken a look at prosecutorial policies, such as cashless bail, and highlighted recidivism and stories from victims and their families.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles came under immense scrutiny immediately following the murder when she commented on the alleged killer’s past mental health issues.
“This is a tragic situation that sheds light on problems with society safety nets related to mental health care and the systems that should be in place. As we come to understand what happened and why, we must look at the entire situation,” wrote Lyles in a statement. “While I do not know the specifics of the man’s medical record, what I have come to understand is that he has long struggled with mental health and appears to have suffered a crisis. This was the unfortunate and tragic outcome.”
The Democratic mayor later posted on social media focusing on Zarutska rather than on Brown.
“The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family,” Lyles wrote on X. “This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time. Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city. I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.”
NC Speaker of the House Destin Hall, R-Caldwell; and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, announced at a Sept. 11 press conference that they are planning to introduce legislation targeting crime when they come back into session on Sept. 22.
According to Berger, a good starting point is to prevent Gov. Josh Stein and other executive branch officials from creating future task forces like the one established by Roy Cooper. Berger said this task force advanced soft-on-crime policies and allowed Zaruska’s suspected murderer to remain free. He said public safety cannot be secured if laws and policies put criminals’ interests ahead of citizens’ protection.
“I personally am looking into ways to restart the death penalty here in North Carolina,” said Berger. “There’s been a judicially imposed moratorium on the death penalty by activist judges, doctors, attorneys general, and governors who are more interested in serving leftist political bosses than justice for victims and their families.”
One specific issue that the General Assembly hopes to address is ending cashless bail.
US Rep. Tim Moore, R-NC14, former speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, recently announced federal legislation that would end cashless bail.
In addition to the possible legislation, North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek announced on Sept. 9 that his office will now be investigating the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) after the murder.
According to CATS, Brown boarded without buying a ticket. At its Sept. 3 special meeting, the agency said it will boost ticket inspections and roll out validator machines. But news reports in the following days indicate not much has changed, including the promise of increased security on the light rail.
Boliek said the investigation will focus on the public safety aspects of CATS, including but not limited to private security contracts, metrics, and data used by CATS and private security for public safety purposes, and the CATS safety and security budget.
“One of the most basic duties a government owes the people is public safety,” Boliek said in a press release. “The recent lawlessness and violence that have taken place on Charlotte’s public transportation system raise serious questions about the security measures in place. We will investigate CATS and examine its public safety contracts and operations.”
The press release highlights that Charlotte has faced a string of violent incidents recently on public transportation. In March, a 64-year-old veteran was attacked on a CATS bus, and according to his family, he became paralyzed from the neck down as a result of the attack. Months later, in August, a 57-year-old veteran was hospitalized after being attacked by multiple people on a CATS bus. Just days after that, Brown, a repeat offender who had previously been in prison for robbery with a deadly weapon, stabbed and killed Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail.