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North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein broke his silence over the murder of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train after facing heated criticism over the weekend for not speaking out earlier despite the release of a brutal video of the attack.
“I am heartbroken for the family of Iryna Zarutska, who lost their loved one to this senseless act of violence, and I am appalled by the footage of her murder. We need more cops on the beat to keep people safe,” Stein posted on X on Monday morning after a weekend of criticism for not posting about last month’s murder and a request for comment from Fox News Digital earlier Monday morning.
“That’s why my budget calls for more funding to hire more well-trained police officers. I call upon the legislature to pass my law enforcement recruitment and retention package to address vacancies in our state and local agencies so they can stop these horrific crimes and hold violent criminals accountable,” he continued.
Social media exploded over the weekend after surveillance footage, released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), showed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska boarding a Lynx Blue line last month before a man pulled out a knife and began stabbing Zarutska three times, including at least once in the neck.
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Zarutska, who had fled war-town Ukraine, grabs her neck as blood spilled onto the floor. Authorities later pronounced her dead at the scene.
The attack, which took place on August 22, prompted many on social media to criticize Stein for speaking out about George Floyd, a Black man killed by a White police officer, but not being as vocal for this murder, where a White woman was murdered by an alleged Black assailant.
“.@NC_Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, has had nothing to say about the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska, a resident of his state,” journalist Megan Basham posted on X. “Yet, in 2020, when he was attorney general, he DID find time to lament the death of George Floyd and initiate a “Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice.”
“This task force’s recommendations included increasing ‘pre-trial release’–which is exactly the kind of thing that allowed Zarutska’s killer, DeCarlos Brown, to be on the streets after 14 previous arrests.”
“Not a word about Iryna Zarutska from Democrat North Carolina Governor Josh Stein,” conservative influencer account LibsofTiktok posted on X.
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“Iryna Zarutska’s slaying is the #1 new story on X – not just North Carolina – and yet NC Governor Josh Stein has had NOTHING to say about it,” Article III Project senior counsel Will Chamberlain posted on X. “This is why friends don’t let friends vote Democrat.”
“The lack of response by Democrat politicians in North Carolina is outrageous,” John Lott, founder and president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, posted on X. “This murderer had a long violent criminal record. Gov @JoshStein_ says nothing.”
Stein’s comment on Monday didn’t satisfy many social media users who accused the governor of shifting the blame for the attack.
“He was arrested 14 times,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Marone posted on X. “The police did their jobs. You did not. And shame on your for trying to shift the blame.”
“Preposterous statement from the @NC_Governor,” conservative commentator Michael Knowles posted on X. “The problem isn’t that cops didn’t arrest the guy. He was arrested over two dozen times! The problem is that liberal prosecutors, judges, and legislators like you refused to keep him locked up.”
“You were Attorney General of North Carolina when her killer was arrested and released from jail 14 times,” conservative commentator Greg Price posted on X. “The police did their job. You did not.”
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested shortly after the stabbing and hospitalized before being arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. Records obtained by The New York Post showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including charges of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats. Police said Brown and Zarutska did not know each other and the attack had been random.
Zarutska’s death has renewed calls for action on public safety in Charlotte. Members of the Charlotte City Council expressed concern after Zarutska’s murder about violence on the city’s transit system.
Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
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