The father of a Ukrainian refugee killed on a train in Charlotte, missed her funeral in North Carolina because rules prohibiting men of fighting age leaving his country, it has been reported.
Iryna Zarutska, 23, died after she was stabbed in the neck while she rode a light rail train. Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, has been charged with murder in the killing.
According to a report in the New York Post, a neighbor in Charlotte said that Zarutska’s father was unable to come to the U.S. for the funeral.
Newsweek was not able to independently confirm the report, but since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, men of fighting age in Ukraine have been prohibited from leaving the country. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense and foreign ministries for comment.
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Why It Matters
As well as the tragedy of losing her life while seeking refuge in the U.S., Zarutska’s killing has become a flashpoint over crime in urban areas and mental health failures.
The case has prompted a fierce debate over why a suspect with Brown’s criminal record was free while allies of President Donald Trump point to the slaying as justification for the president’s federal takeover of Washington and his plans for federal intervention in other large cities.
What To Know
Zarutska was a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had fled the war in Ukraine with her family in 2022.
On August 22, she was stabbed aboard a light train in Charlotte, North Carolina with video showing the attack by the alleged assailant, the 34-year-old Brown.
The New York Post reported that Zarutska’s father was unable to leave Ukraine for the funeral on August 27 because he is of fighting age, meaning he had to remain in the country, according to a neighbor of the family in Charlotte.
Martial law regulations barred men aged 18-60 from leaving Ukraine but last month, the country’s prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said those aged 18 to 22 are now allowed to cross the border freely in either direction.
The family’s neighbor, whom the New York Post did not name, said that the father “had to stay back” and “didn’t come for the funeral” due to the country’s regulations.
An obituary said that Zarutska was “the beloved daughter of Anna Zarutska and Stanislav Zarutskyi” and had emigrated with her mother, sister and brother to the U.S. where she “quickly embraced her new life.”
She was described as a “gifted and passionate artist” who had graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in art and restoration. An animal lover, she often cared for her neighbors’ pets and dreamed of working as a veterinary assistant.
“Her mother lovingly recalls her ability to sleep for wonderfully long stretches—something she affectionately called an ‘artist’s gift,” the tribute said.
As of Tuesday, over $122,000 had been raised in an appeal on GoFundMe which described an “irreparable loss for her family.”
Democratic Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said the killing was in part due to failures of a court system that allowed Brown to reenter the community despite a record of mental illness.
The death continues to spark political conversations and Brown’s lengthy criminal history has been pointed to by some conservative politicians as being representative of the violent crime they say plagues many Democrat-led cities across the United States.
What People Are Saying
A Neighbor of Iryna Zarutska told the New York Post of her father: “he had to stay back. He didn’t come for the funeral…he’s still there for whatever the war time rules are.”
An Obituary for Iryna Zarutska said she: “will be remembered for her kindness, her creativity, and the lasting impression she left on everyone she met. Her absence leaves a deep void.”
What Happens Next
A competency evaluation will determine if Brown is fit to stand trial and his next court appearance is scheduled for September 19.
Continued media coverage may highlight the outrage over the suspect’s release history and prompt debates about better mental health evaluations, stricter bail eligibility rules, and the policing of Democrat-led cities.
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