Mecklenburg GOP hosts vigil for Iryna Zarutska at Charlotte light rail station
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Charlotte light rail train stabbing
A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, was fatally stabbed on Aug. 22 on the light rail line in Charlotte’s South End. 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr., who has a reported history of mental health issues, is charged in the killing. Zarutska’s death has received national attention, with public comments from President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Charlotte officials.
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Just before she walked to the intersection of Camden Road and West Worthington Avenue, Yelena Stephenson stopped to look at a makeshift memorial for Iryna Zarutska at the light rail platform.
Stephenson was one of hundreds who filled the street outside of the East/West Boulevard station to take part in a vigil for the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on Aug. 22 while riding the Lynx Blue Line.
“I hope people come out, they speak out,” Stephenson said. “This city needs some kind of resolution, changes in the law.”
Stephenson, who is from Matthews, said she’s friends with Zarutska’s mother and aunt. While she didn’t know Zarutska personally, she said her mother described her as sweet and kind.
Charles Holler, who lives in south Charlotte, said Zarutska’s death had been “pulling” at his heart for a month. He was said it was important to honor her, especially given the journey Zarutska had to take from Ukraine to get to the United States.
He said he would like to see more security on the light rail system, but would think twice before allowing his children to ride it after what happened.
He and Stephenson joined a huddle that took over a part of Camden Road, where Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers blocked off both ends. West Blvd Ministry, a local nonprofit, offered candles and flyers with Zarutska’s face on them.
The flyers said “In loving memory of Iryna Zarutska” and included the MECKGOP logo at the bottom.
The vigil, promoted by the Mecklenburg County Republican party, was held at the same light rail station where Zarutska was found dead and marked exactly one month since the attack.
Zarutska was riding the train just before 10 p.m. when DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, stabbed her three times in the neck, according to police and video from the train.
Zarutska, who fled Kyiv to the United States in 2022 to escape Russia’s invasion, was described as confident, beautiful, and noble by her family in an interview with The Charlotte Observer. She lived with family in Huntersville before moving to Charlotte in May.
She was an artist who had aspirations of becoming a veterinary assistant because of her love of animals. She loved the United States, her uncle said in the interview, and quickly made friends with the people around her.
“I mean, she knew more people in my neighborhood than I did,” Scott Haskell, Zarutska’s uncle, said. “And she made an impression.”
Republicans have seized on the death to accuse Democratic leaders who run Charlotte of being soft on crime, while mental health experts have said the death reflects a lack of resources. Brown’s mother said he was schizophrenic and he exhibited mental health problems, according to court records.
A press release from the Mecklenburg County GOP said the event was planned to be “non-political,” and for most of the hourlong vigil, it remained that way. Mourners held candles and prayed with pastors and ministers.
Tatyana Thulien, a Republican who ran for the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners in 2022, sang three songs, including “Amazing Grace.”
She dedicated her performance of “Amazing Grace” to Zarutska and political commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at an event in Utah on Sept. 10.
Several religious leaders — some of whom have run for office as Republicans in Charlotte — led prayers in English and Ukrainian for Zarutska, reflected on her life, and called for improvements to public safety in Charlotte.
Minister James Bowers, who has previously run for the Charlotte City Council, said people feel unsafe because of things like gangs and youth violence, and because of a lack of feeling protected by police and leaders.
“Today we are seeing the glory of the American standard being challenged through wrong ideologies and wrong thinking. Which puts the hopes and dreams of our families and children oftentimes into turmoil and chaos,” Bowers said. “We will not stand by anymore. We will fight for our city and our nation.”
He said the killings of Zarutska and Kirk are connected.
“These recent events truly applies and clarifies that the world of good and evil are colliding and waiting for a new leader to emerge. To speak up, to step up,” Bowers said. “We must take a stand.”
However, Kirk was targeted by an assassin; Brown and Zarutska did not know each other and had no interaction beforehand, according to authorities.
Bart Noonan, executive director of West Blvd Ministry, said the city was falling apart and the time to act “was yesterday.” He pointed to Zarutska’s death, as well as the recent shooting death of a 4-year-old boy in southwest Charlotte, Jayce Edwards, as examples of problems the city needs to face.
“It’s not getting to the heart of the matter. It’s the matter of the heart,” Noonan said. “We got a heart condition going on. We got people out there that need a heart transplant.”
Noonan asked people to hold a two-minute moment of silence for Zarutska — the amount of time she went without aid, he said — and then led the crowd in a chant of “Iryna.”
“She’s looking over the edge of heaven at you right now and she’s smiling,” Noonan said. “Along with the angels.”
The night ended with organizers announcing that they would be requesting the Charlotte City Council and Charlotte Area Transit System leaders rename the light rail station after Zarutska.
John and Michael Moorefield, a father and son who drove down from Statesville for the vigil, said they liked the idea of renaming the station after her.
“It’s embarrassing for the state and for Charlotte,” Michael Moorefield said. He said Zarutska’s death highlights a mental health problem as well as a safety problem.
John Moorefield, Michael’s father, said he was struck by the lack of reaction by other people riding the light rail at the time. He said Charlotte needs more compassion and a new mayor.
John Moorefield donned a Trump 2024 hat while Michael Moorefield wore buttons for Republicans running in North Carolina on his shirt, including Don Brown, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Asked about this, John Moorefield said he was concerned about Republicans losing in the midterm election next year.
“If we lose this midterm, this country’s over,” he said. “The first thing the other side’s gonna do, they’re going to impeach Trump.”
Michael Moorefield said the vigil was also an opportunity to push back against false narratives about Republicans.
“We’re compassionate people. I mean, we know it’s not a Republican-Democrat issue,” he said. “This is a young person just snuffed out. So that’s the issue.”
Like Yelena Stephenson, the Moorefields said they want to see change after Zarutska’s death.
Stephenson, just before walking to join the crowd, said she had never ridden Charlotte’s light rail system. Asked if she would, she kept her answer short.
“No.”
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