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Iryna Zarutska fled the war-torn Ukraine for security – but the United States disappointed her.
Zarutska, a 23-year-old daughter and sister, escaped the horrors of the war and sought a new beginning in the United States. Instead, she was brutally stabbed to death while riding the Charlotte Light Rail. In a horrible attack captured by the camera, her throat was cut by a violent repeated offender and was arrested in advance. Which raises the question: Why are 14 arrested violent criminals free to roam our streets? Sadly, this chaos is a common situation in Democratic-run cities.
This is not random behavior. This is a preventable tragedy, and our system cannot protect the vulnerable tragedy. America failed Zarutska and we have to make sure it doesn’t fail like other people like her.
Cold video shows the moment before Ukrainian refugees stabbed to death on Charlotte light rail
As a North Carolina representative, I feel sad and angry about what is so close to home. This incident reflects a wider crisis that is happening throughout the country, where increasing policies for crime allow dangerous criminals to evade accountability. Charlotte Mayor VI Lyles claimed: “We will never get rid of problems such as homelessness and mental health.” I disagree.
While it is important to address the root cause, we cannot ignore the immediate need to protect our community by ensuring that the consequences faced by repeat offenders. Loving our neighbors means protecting them from those who walk on the streets.
America failed Zarutska and we have to make sure it doesn’t fail like other people like her.
The left’s approach to prioritizing criminals’ justice to the victims has caused too much vulnerable approaches like Iryna. From Charlotte to Chicago, in a Democratic-led city, we see an unsettling pattern that understates the violations while ignoring the pain of those suffering.
New polls show that 81% of Americans see crime as a “main problem” in big cities.
The media sometimes amplifies this narrative, portraying criminals as victims of the environment, ignoring the real victims – family tearing, communities living in fear and like Iryna’s cut.
This approach has devastating consequences. Zarutska deserves better. The United States deserves better.
Charlotte’s violence is a microcosm of the national epidemic. At least eight people were killed over the Labor Day weekend in Chicago, and another 58 were injured in city-wide shootings. Governor JB Pritzker claims the crime is under control, but the numbers tell a different story.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker spoke at a press conference deployed in Chicago on September 2, 2025. (Kamil Krazaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
Across the country, cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia have reported similar challenges, with 81% of Americans placing crime as a major issue in recent polls. The public demands action – they are right to do so.
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President Donald Trump It has been shown that tough criminal methods are effective. Since August 2025, reinforced by federal law enforcement and National Guard support, the Trump administration’s crackdown in Washington has resulted in more than 1,900 arrests and more than 200 illegal guns seized in the capital. A 12-day homicide-free time marks a sharp drop in the historical average of DC’s murders every other day.
This common sense enforcement shows that decisive action can lead to real progress. Even Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser can’t argue with these numbers.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks after President Donald Trump announced the federal government’s takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department on August 11, 2025 at the Wilson Building in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Sadly, Democratic policies often protect illegal foreigners, criminals, terrorists and gang members, exposing violence to the American community. Republicans prioritize the safety of law-abiding citizens over the feeling of criminals.
To resolve this crisis, we need a balanced approach: immediately, strong law enforcement officers evacuate dangerous criminals from the streets and invest in long-term to address the root causes of crime. This also means reforming the bail system to ensure that violent repeat offenders are not easily released to harm innocent people like Zarutska.
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Zarutska’s death is a call for action. The United States must be a place of security and peace.
I urge my Democratic colleagues to join Republicans, put victims first, support law enforcement and invest in our communities. We can commemorate Iryna Zarutska’s memory by creating a safer, stronger America, where no 23-year-old woman fears being stabbed by a repeat offender who appears to be just a stranger sitting on a train.
