Frantic 911 calls made after Iryna Zarutska stabbing reveals panic among co-passengers

Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised

WASHINGTON, DC: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has released chilling audio of five 911 calls made in the immediate aftermath of the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light rail train. 

The calls, obtained by Fox News Digital, capture the chaos, panic, and despair of passengers who watched in horror as the young woman bled to death.

‘Everyone is screaming, people are freaking out’ — desperate 911 calls

In one of the calls, a shaken voice broke through muffled sobs. “This man f------ stabbed her for no reason.” The sound of passengers screaming and crying can be heard in the background, underscoring the chaos inside the train car.

Another caller struggled to guide first responders to the scene, his words tumbling out as he tried to describe the setting.

“This lady just got stabbed… I’m not sure where we are… There’s a tall building. There’s a lady on the ground. She’s bleeding a lot. I don’t think she’s responsive. There is a lot of blood.”

The panic deepened as the female caller continued: “Everyone is screaming. People are freaking out. There are people around her right now. She looks young… I don’t think she’s responsive. There’s a lot of blood.”

She added, “I think she’s dead. She’s not responding. She was stabbed in the carotid [artery], I believe. There’s a lot of blood. There is no pulse. I think she’s gone.”

911 audio reveals panic among witnesses

A third caller, a man sounding breathless and panicked, told operators: “A girl got stabbed on the train. I think she’s dead, man. I think she might be dead.”

The fourth caller gave the most detailed description of the suspect: “A Black male, dreadlocks, his hair wrapped up, a black T-shirt and blue jeans. His hand is wrapped up.”

A final caller added that the stabbing had already happened and was assured by the operator that emergency help was on the way.

CMPD officers respond within minutes

According to a police affidavit, CMPD officers rushed to the Lynx Blue Line station near 1821 Camden Road on August 22. Witnesses said a man had stabbed a young woman in the throat inside a train.

When officers arrived, they found 34-year-old Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. standing on the outbound platform. He matched the suspect’s description and had a fresh cut on his right hand.

He was immediately taken into custody after receiving medical treatment. Investigators also recovered a folding knife near the platform, believed to be the murder weapon.

Victim was fatally stabbed in throat

Inside the train, officers found Zarutska unresponsive with three stab wounds to her throat. Despite frantic medical attention, she was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m.

The affidavit described the wounds as centered in the “middle of her throat,” leaving little chance of survival even with immediate aid. Zarutska, who had fled Ukraine seeking safety and stability, had been working in Charlotte and regularly used the light rail.

Suspect arrested, federal charges filed

Brown was first hospitalized, then charged with first-degree murder under North Carolina law. Federal authorities also charged him with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, a rarely invoked federal statute intended to address crimes on public transit.

At a press briefing, FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. reflected on the tragedy.

“Iryna Zarutska had likely taken that train ride many times before. She was probably tired after a day at work and just wanted to go home, but tragically she never made it,” Barnacle said.

He added, “We hope this federal charge will help bring her family a measure of justice, and the courts will hold the subject charged in this horrific act accountable. Everyone in this country deserves to go to work, to school or just across town without fear of being attacked.”