In the aftermath of the brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail system last August, outrage ensued nationwide when it was learned that her alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., was a repeat violent offender who should not have been out on city streets.
There was a ripple effect at all levels of government. Both President Trump and Vice President Vance had things to say about her senseless death. A congressional field hearing on soft-on-crime policies was held here in Charlotte. Legislation was also introduced in Congress that would, among other things, strengthen transit crime reporting and oversight.
At the state level, Iryna’s Law was passed and signed into law after a heated debate in the state legislature, which saw fed-up Republican lawmakers square off against woke Democrats who refused to see the light. Even Charlotte’s Democrat-run city council pushed to strengthen security on the light rail, though many cynical observers pointed out that it was disgraceful that it took a brutal stabbing that resulted in a young woman’s death to get the council to act.
READ MORE: NC Republican Leader Goes Off Over House Dem Theatrics in Heated Debate on Tough on Crime Bill
Someone who didn’t say much about the Zarutska case at the time was former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D), who had already declared his Senate candidacy at that point, with the backing of the DSCC.
Though his staff eventually put out a tepid tweet condemning what happened, the lion’s share of it was devoted to attacking his critics for pointing out Cooper’s soft-on-crime record, which GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley has hammered Cooper on since the murder.
SEE ALSO: Michael Whatley Drops Receipts on Roy Cooper As Fatal Stabbing Becomes Focal Point in NC Senate Race
In fact, Whatley has been laser-focused on Cooper’s dismal record as governor, especially related to the crime issue, and again came out swinging on Wednesday after a report from Fox News that centered on allegations from Republican leaders in North Carolina that the Cooper administration was directly responsible for the release of Zarutska’s alleged killer in 2021:
Republican officials are raising urgent questions, asking whether records show DeCarlos Brown Jr., the parolee charged in the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, was tied to a 2021 COVID-era settlement that authorized the early release or transition of 3,500 incarcerated individuals.
[…]
The case has drawn heightened attention after records reviewed by Fox News Digital, provided by Republican officials, appeared to link Brown to the 2021 settlement, which was negotiated between Cooper’s administration and civil rights groups amid concerns over COVID-19 conditions in state prisons.
Fox News Digital later learned, however, that Brown’s release was unrelated to the settlement:
After publication inquiries, corrections officials provided additional details about Brown’s custody and supervision history, saying his release from prison was unrelated to the COVID litigation or settlement.
A full explainer on why Brown was among the 3,500 on that list but was not released due to the settlement can be read in full here:
Back in the height of Covid, activist groups sued Governor Roy Cooper calling for inmates to be released because of the pandemic
The parties settled and 3,500 prisoners were granted early release. The list of those 3,500 people was never made public. Today I confirmed DeCarlos… pic.twitter.com/JezFARzn4t
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) February 4, 2026
That said, Brown was a repeat revolving door offender under Cooper’s watch, and at a time when Cooper boasted of his Task Force for Racial Equity and Criminal Justice, from which the implemented recommendations included an emphasis on “solutions” like pre-trial release programs and destigmatizing and decriminalizing homelessness.
As the national debate was raging, Whatley had this to say about Cooper’s record:
DeCarlos Brown Jr., a dangerous career criminal, should have been behind bars years ago, but my opponent Roy Cooper’s lenient 2020 executive order kept him on the streets, endangering communities. In June 2020, Cooper signed a soft-on-crime executive order, and just three months later, Brown was released from prison.
Since then, Brown has been arrested and released three additional times between 2021 and 2025, taking full advantage of Cooper’s weak policies.
Cooper bears direct responsibility for this heinous act and must answer to the public about why he prioritizes criminals over public safety.
DeCarlos Brown Jr., a dangerous career criminal, should have been behind bars years ago, but my opponent Roy Cooper’s lenient 2020 executive order kept him on the streets, endangering communities. In June 2020, Cooper signed a soft-on-crime executive order, and just three months… pic.twitter.com/WuiYzON4h9
— Michael Whatley (@WhatleyNC) September 6, 2025
Responding to the Fox News report, Whatley wrote in part that “An innocent woman is dead, and her blood is on [Cooper’s] hands.”
A state legislative hearing on crime and public safety issues that will feature Charlotte’s Democrat “leaders” will be held on February 9th. That one should be quite lively. We’ll keep you posted.
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