GoFundMes Were Set up for the Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing a Ukrainian Refugee

Despite the fact that we live in a time where almost every action can be recorded by a cell phone or security camera, we don't often see an actual recording of a crime.

Fortunately or unfortunately, a gruesome and brutal act was caught on camera by security footage on a light rail train in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2025.

The horrifying footage of a man allegedly fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee quickly circulated online. In it, the 23-year-old girl was stabbed three times in an unprovoked attack.

A suspect by the name of Decarlos Dejuan Brown, 34, was taken to a hospital to be treated for lacerations, then was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Following his arrest, two GoFundMe pages were set up for Brown. Here's what we know.

There were two fundraisers on GoFundMe attempting to raise money for Brown. One, created by Ryan Nichols Wrangham, stated that an injustice was being carried out against the alleged murderer.

Another was started by Ezekiel Rivers and was meant to raise money for Brown's legal fees. GoFundMe told Newsweek that both have been removed from the platform.

According to the New York Post, GoFundMe said in a statement that raising money for the "legal defense of anyone formally charged with an alleged violent crime" goes against their terms of service.

The company also refunded any money raised for Brown via the two fundraisers. Why would someone do this? Per Wrangham's fundraiser, they believe Brown was "failed categorically by the judicial system and the mental health services of North Carolina," and was not entirely at fault.

It was reported by WBTV that Brown had a history of violence, including arrests for armed robbery, felony larceny, breaking and entering, and shoplifting. He has also been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was living on the streets at the time of the alleged stabbing.

Brown has been ordered to complete a competency evaluation for his trial.

The victim of the stabbing has been identified as 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to the United States in August 2022 with her mother, sister, and brother, per Zarutska's obituary.

The family was escaping from war-torn Russia. Zarutska graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration, and often gifted her artwork to friends and family.

The young artist also loved animals and often looked after her neighbors' pets, many of whom recall Zarutska walking with them around the neighborhood.

Because of this, Zarutska was thinking about becoming a Veterinary Assistant. Although she was independent, Zarutska was described as a homebody who was "happiest" when surrounded by family and friends. She will be remembered for her kindness, creativity, and lasting impression she left on everyone she met.

A GoFundMe has been set up in her name.