Iryna Zarutska fled war-torn Ukraine seeking safety — but America failed her.

Zarutska, a 23-year-old daughter and sister, escaped the horrors of war and sought a new beginning in the United States. Instead, she was brutally stabbed to death while riding a Charlotte light rail. In a horrific attack caught on camera, her throat was cut by a violent repeat offender with 14 prior arrests. Which begs the question: Why was a violent criminal with 14 arrests free to roam our streets? Sadly, such chaos is a common occurrence in a Democrat-run city.

This was not a random act. It was a preventable tragedy, a failure of our system to protect the vulnerable. America failed Zarutska, and we must ensure it does not fail others like her.

CHILLING VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE UKRAINIAN REFUGEE STABBED TO DEATH ON CHARLOTTE LIGHT RAIL

As a representative of North Carolina, I am heartbroken and outraged by what happened so close to home. This incident reflects a broader crisis unfolding across our nation, where soft-on-crime policies allow dangerous criminals to evade accountability. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles has claimed, “We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health.” I disagree. 

Though addressing root causes is important, we cannot ignore the immediate need to protect our communities by ensuring repeat offenders face consequences. Loving our neighbors means protecting them from people who have no business walking our streets.

America failed Zarutska and we must ensure it does not fail others like her.

The Left’s approach of prioritizing leniency for offenders over justice for victims has left too many, like Iryna, vulnerable. In Democrat-led cities, from Charlotte to Chicago, we see a troubling pattern of downplaying lawlessness while overlooking the pain of those who suffer.

81% OF AMERICANS SEE CRIME AS A ‘MAJOR PROBLEM’ IN BIG CITIES, NEW POLL SHOWS

Media outlets sometimes amplify this narrative, portraying criminals as victims of circumstance while ignoring the real victims — families torn apart, communities living in fear, and lives like Iryna’s cut short.

This approach has devastating consequences. Zarutska deserved better. America deserves better.

The violence in Charlotte is a microcosm of a national epidemic. Over Labor Day weekend in Chicago, at least eight people were killed and 58 others were injured in shootings across the city. Gov. J.B. Pritzker claims crime is under control, but the numbers tell a different story.
 

Across the country, cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia report similar challenges, with 81% of Americans citing crime as a major issue in recent polls. The public is demanding action — and they’re right to do so.

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President Donald Trump has shown that a tough-on-crime approach works. Since August 2025, the Trump administration’s crackdown in Washington — bolstered by federal law enforcement and National Guard support — has led to over 1,900 arrests and the seizure of more than 200 illegal firearms in the capital. A 12-day stretch without a homicide marked a sharp break from D.C.’s historical average of a murder every other day.

This common-sense enforcement demonstrates that decisive action can yield real progress. Even Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser could not argue with the numbers.

Sadly, Democrat policies too often protect illegal aliens, criminals, terrorists, and gang members, leaving American communities exposed to violence. Republicans prioritize the safety of law-abiding citizens over the feelings of criminals.

To address this crisis, we need a balanced approach: immediate, robust law enforcement to remove dangerous offenders from our streets and long-term investments to tackle the root causes of crime. It also means reforming bail systems to ensure violent repeat offenders are not easily released to harm innocent people like Zarutska.

Zarutska’s death is a call to action. America must be a place of safety and peace.

I urge my Democratic colleagues to join Republicans in putting victims first, supporting law enforcement, and investing in our communities. Together, we can honor Iryna Zarutska’s memory by building a safer, stronger America — one where no 23-year-old woman fears being stabbed by a repeat offender who appeared to be just a stranger sitting behind her on a train.