Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced that federal charges will supplement state murder charges in the Charlotte light rail stabbing case. This statement was made during a press announcement.
“As a native of Charlotte, I’m so sad to say that our city has gotten to this place,” said Ferguson. “We’re going to supplement those state charges with federal charges. It is a law that is there because acts like this affect the American way. We are here to be sure that we can save our city and bring those opportunities back.”
According to the Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, a federal criminal complaint has been filed in Charlotte charging Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. The charges are related to the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska aboard the Lynx Blue Line light rail on August 22, 2025. Ferguson emphasized that these federal charges are necessary to protect public safety, restore confidence in mass transit, and secure justice for Zarutska and her family.
Data from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department indicate that overall crime citywide fell by 8% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with violent crime dropping by 25%. However, Axios Charlotte reported an increase in crime in Uptown Charlotte by 2.4% during the same timeframe, with robberies seeing a notable rise. These statistics highlight that while there is overall progress, areas near transit and city centers remain vulnerable to crime concerns.
According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, Title 18, Section 1992 of the U.S. Code was designed to protect mass transit integrity and ensure public safety against violent threats. It makes it a federal crime to commit acts of violence or sabotage against mass transportation systems such as trains, buses, and subways. The law allows for severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty when such acts result in death.
Ferguson was sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina in March 2025. Before his appointment, he worked as a federal prosecutor where he tried nearly 30 cases to verdict and served as general counsel to the North Carolina Republican Party. His career also included private practice at Womble Bond Dickinson where he specialized in complex litigation and white-collar crime.
