The North Carolina chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NC), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on federal authorities to investigate the murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska as a possible hate crime in light of evidence that the perpetrator made remarks about her race and gender after the attack.
CAIR also today condemned efforts by white supremacists and other extremists to use the crime to promote anti-Black racism.
On August 22, Zarutska was fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line light rail. Video footage from the incident reportedly shows the alleged attacker, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., pacing through the train and twice saying, “I got that white girl.” Zarutska reportedly came to Charlotte after fleeing war in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Brown, 34, has been charged with first-degree murder and faces federal charges of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. A court has ordered Brown to undergo a mental health competency evaluation.
In a statement, CAIR-North Carolina said:
“We join calls for the U.S. attorney to investigate the murder of Iryna Zarutska as a possible hate crime given video footage that appears to show the perpetrator commenting on her race and gender after brutally attacking her. Whenever someone commits similar acts of violence while engaging in racist or bigoted rhetoric, law enforcement should automatically investigate a bias motive.
“As we condemn Ms. Zarutska’s horrific murder and call for a hate crime probe, we also condemn those using this crime to resurrect racist talking points about the Black community. This selective outrage is dangerous, hypocritical, and racially motivated, especially given that white supremacists fall silent about other stabbings, mass shootings, hate crimes, financial crimes, rapes, and various other misconduct committed by people of all races and backgrounds. Our society must secure justice for victims of crimes, not turn them into pawns for extremists.
“This crime also underscores the need to strengthen North Carolina’s public transit systems and security on them. Our leaders must ensure that public transit is safe and accessible for all.”
CAIR-NC said it stands in solidarity with Zarutska’s family and urged all Americans to reject attempts to use her killing to divide communities along racial lines.
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CONTACT: Al Rieder, CAIR-NC, 202-742-6421, arieder@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com