Charlotte’s ‘pro-crime’ policies under fire as career criminal charged with killing commuter: expert

Charlotte officials have spoken about police statistics showing crime is Trend downward All over the city. But the public did not buy it, especially when the 23-year-old commuter was stabbed to death on a light rail train.

For many residents and conservative leaders, the stabbing death highlights the dangerous disconnect they see as statistics and reality.

“Progressive policies seem to be a reactive gesture – something bad happened and then they threw band aids into it,” Chris Swecker, former chairman of the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission, told the FBI, who told FOX News Digital Digital. “They didn’t make connections between policies that are very pro-crime and anti-wiki, as well as these tragic events. The data and history are clear: more officials, more active policing, more prosecutions will reduce crime.”

The case became a flash point in the debates of crime, public safety and recurring criminals nationwide in cities led by Democrats.

GoFundMe raises funds for felons, accused of killing commuters in a random Charlotte train attack

Downtown Charlotte: Hotspots of rising violence

According to the central department data from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, overall crime in Charlotte (many lives, works and visits every day) rose 2.4% in the first half of the year, with violent crime rising by more than 9%. The robbery rate reached 54.5%. Police said the spike was fueled by robberies near bars, nightclubs and transit centers and launched a Millions of dollars in security plans Work with company partners to try to restore public confidence.

Charlotte officials said the crime was reduced. CMPD data display In the first half of 2025, overall offense fell by 8%, violent crime fell by 25%, and homicides fell by nearly 30%.

But it is even more disturbing when Charlotte measures the rest of the country. Areavibes Report The city’s total crime rate is 77% higher than the national average, with violent crimes about 746 per 100,000 residents and property crimes about 73%. Neighbor estimates Residents face the opportunity to become victims of property crimes in 1 inch.

Charlotte had 105 homicides in 2024, compared with 88 in 2023 Associated Press The report said that from 2020 to 2024, the rate of vehicle theft per 100,000 people has more than doubled.

“When I arrived here in 1999, there were less than 50 homicides per year in crimes. Charlotte used data-driven policing and accountability, and crimes also dropped. But starting in 2020, criminal offenders have been committed due to cashless bail, and talk about refunds to police, arrests and prosecutions,” Swick said. “These policies have conspired to increase crime rates everywhere.”

“The public should trust their eyes. They see crime rising and right. Police commanders across the country are under pressure to commit crime or tie them together to make the numbers look better,” he said. “But the reality is the worst, keep going back to the streets.”

Monday, White House A recent policy list has been released, listing Charlotte’s crime crisis.

In 2020, Charlotte City Council initiated theReimagine policing“The initiative of Police No. 911 was transferred. That same year, Roy Cooper Eliminate cash bail“point” certain felonies and prioritize “restoring justice”. Fox News Digital has contacted Stein’s office for comment.

Since then, Mecklenburg County Criminal Justice Services has received millions of dollars from foundations that promote cashless bail and reduce the prison population, while also hiring “equity consultants” and tasking their positions with fairness and inclusion in the “racial disparity” in the justice system. White House.

In 2020, current CMPD head Johnny Jennings told WCCB Charlotte “In general, law enforcement is based on racism.” Fox News Digital has contacted CMPD in Jennings’ past comments.

He was working internally in June 2020, and we could do something, we could focus more on violent criminals internally, or we could not shine so much that we might work harder internally, otherwise we might work harder internally, we might be as slow as possible, we could work harder internally.

After the social media rebound

Light rail spike

Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugees He fled the American security war on American light rail and caused a fatal stabbing to his return home while working at a pizzeria on August 22.

The defendant’s killer, the little attacker, was arrested 14 times and served his sentence in prison.

The lengthy rap watch inspected by Fox News Digital spans over a decade. His beliefs include theft and destruction and entry in 2013, and the 2015 conviction for robbery with dangerous weapons, for which he was sentenced to more than six years in prison. He was released in 2020 and has been before parole. Until 2021. Recent allegations include communications earlier this year with threats and abuse of the 911 system.

Now, he is charged with first-degree murder for Zarutska’s stabbing death.

Watch: Video performance moments of Ukrainian refugees killed on a Charlotte train

Virus surveillance video captures the attack. Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital show Zarutska was stabbed three times. A folding knife was found on the scene.

Charlotte transit officials confirmed that there were no security personnel on the train at that time. Additional patrols have been deployed thereafter.

Watch: Grilling details revealed by the suspect’s mother in Charlotte’s stabbing case

Legislators Explode “Crime” Policy

President Donald Trump Call Brown a “madman” and believes the case proves that America needs stronger measures to “handle evil.”

Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) called Charlotte’s situation “a microcosm of the nationwide epidemic.”

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) said the Zarutska killing exposed “a reluctance to keep violent, mentally unstable criminals away from the streets’ judicial system” and called for state-level reforms to prevent similar tragedies.

Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) criticized what he called “Democratic-run cities and counties downplay crime while citizens pay the price.” He urged stricter sentencing, bail reform rollback and more federal local coordination to replace violent repeat offenders.

Cold video shows the moment before Ukrainian refugees stabbed to death on Charlotte light rail

Charlotte’s democratic leaders have largely emphasized the systemic problems of killing Zarutska.

“I feel sad for the family of Iryna Zarutska, who lost a loved one for meaningless violence, and she is shocked by the video of her murder. We need more police officers in the beat to keep people safe,” Stan posted on X on Monday morning. “That’s why my budget requires more funding to hire more trained police officers. I call on the Legislature to address job openings in our state and local agencies through my law enforcement recruitment and retention programs so that they can stop these horrible crimes and hold violent criminals accountable. ”

In the first report speech Local radio station WFAEMayor VI Lyles puts stabbing as part of a broader challenge related to mental health and homelessness, warning of “stigmatizing” vulnerable groups.

A few days later, she changed her tone, calling the murder a “meaningless, tragic loss” and thanking the media for respecting the graphic surveillance video for the victim’s family. New York Post.

Lyle said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Monday that the incident was a “tragic failure of the court and the district judge.”

“We need a bipartisan solution to deal with repeat offenders who do not face the consequences of the action, and those who cannot accept mental illness and are allowed to be on the street,” she said. “We have worked with it before. North Carolina Pretrial Integrity Act, we are ready to work together again at the local, state and federal levels. ”

On the city council, Dimpl Ajmera told WCNC Charlotte Transit security reforms are needed immediately, while Councilman Edwin Peacock criticized leaders for being overly responsive rather than being proactive.

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Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather in Comment Axios Charlotteacknowledging that the case reveals major gaps in both the criminal justice process and the mental health system, suggesting that resource shortages and legal barriers leave dangerous people on the streets.