Trump Demands Death Penalty for Man Accused of Killing Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for the death penalty for DeCarlos Brown Jr. (34), the man accused of brutally stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a commuter train in North Carolina last month.

In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump described the accused as an “animal” and said there was “no other option” but capital punishment.

“The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY. There can be no other option!!!” Trump wrote.

Justice Department Charges and Political Reactions

Trump’s comments came a day after the U.S. Justice Department filed federal charges against Brown, a move that makes him eligible for the death penalty. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also vowed to pursue the “maximum penalty”, saying Brown would “never again see the light of day as a free man.”

This is the second time Trump has weighed in on the case. Earlier, he accused Democrats of failing to ensure law and order, claiming Zarutska’s “blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail.”

He also urged voters in North Carolina to support Republican candidate Michael Whatley for the U.S. Senate, adding, “Only Republicans will deliver law and order.”

Tragic Story of Iryna Zarutska

Zarutska had fled war-torn Ukraine, where she lived in a bomb shelter, in hopes of a safer life in the U.S. On August 22, she boarded a commuter train and sat in front of Brown, who suddenly pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed her without provocation.

Shocked passengers screamed as Zarutska collapsed. Video footage of the incident, widely shared on social media, shows the chaotic aftermath on the train.