Iryna Zarutska’s family sues the city of Charlotte over her killing
The family of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has filed a lawsuit against the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and a security company following her fatal stabbing on a light rail train. The lawsuit was filed in Mecklenburg County Superior Court one year after the woman’s death.
As The Guardian World reports, the lawsuit was filed by the deceased woman’s uncle, Frank Scott Haskell. Relatives claim that Zarutska’s death could have been prevented.
Security claims
According to the lawsuit, city authorities and Professional Security Services, which provides security for the Charlotte Area Transit System, failed to introduce adequate security measures despite knowing about incidents of violent crime on and near the light rail line.
The lawsuit states that the defendants were obligated to protect passengers from a known and foreseeable danger. The family points to inadequate fare enforcement and an insufficient number of security personnel. According to the plaintiffs, fare enforcement, turnstiles, or properly staffed security could have prevented Zarutska’s death; they also claim that the city had funds for such measures.
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The family is seeking monetary compensation and says it wants changes to the security system on all Charlotte light rail lines.
Charges in the case
Zarutska was traveling home from work when she was fatally stabbed on a train. Decarlos Brown Jr. was charged in connection with her death. In June, a judge ruled that he was unfit to stand trial due to mental illness.
According to relatives, Zarutska arrived in the United States after living in a bomb shelter in Ukraine. She left because of the war, hoping to find a safer life. Her killing became the subject of public debate in the United States over violent crime, mental illness, and public transport safety.
In September, North Carolina adopted Iryna’s Law, which changed the definition of certain violent crimes, introduced bail restrictions for defendants accused of such crimes, and in certain cases ended release without cash bail.
