Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed her team to federally prosecute Decarlos Brown Jr., 34 — a repeat offender with a lengthy felony rap sheet — accused of murdering 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska.
“Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” Bondi said in an X post on Tuesday.
“I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder,” she continued, making it clear that they are seeking the “maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime, and he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added that the attack was a “disgraceful act that should never happen in America.”
“The @FBI immediately surged into action to ensure justice is served and to make clear that violent criminals will never be allowed to walk free again,” he said.
“President Trump is committed to restoring safety to every American city, and I want to thank @AGPamBondi for delivering the federal charges that will hold this perpetrator accountable,” he added.
Her update comes two and a half weeks after the August 22 fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34 , is a repeat offender with a lengthy felony rap sheet and has since been arrested and charged with murder.
Several lawmakers and officials have pointed to the fact that Brown was able to roam the streets despite his extensive criminal history. As a result, Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), for instance, is planning to introduce legislation to “hold judges accountable when violent repeat offenders they release commit new crimes.”
“It’s easy to release criminals when you’re protected by an armed bailiff at all times,” he said. “The rest of us aren’t so lucky.”
“Those 12+ judges that released Decarlos Brown Jr. should have their day in court too,” the congressman added.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is investigating the stabbing, which took place on a train, noting, “If mayors can’t keep their trains and buses safe, they don’t deserve the taxpayers’ money.”
“I just give my love and hope to the family of the young woman who was stabbed … in Charlotte by a madman — a lunatic,” President Donald Trump said in reaction to the tragedy.
“[It’s] not really watchable, because it’s so horrible, but just viciously stabbed. She’s just sitting there,” he said. “So they’re evil people. We have to be able to handle that. If we don’t handle that, we don’t have a country.”
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