An ordinary scene might not catch the attention of a passerby.

A 34-year-old homeless man named DeCarlos Brown steps off a train in Charlotte, North Carolina. In his hand, he holds a red hoodie, walking without haste down the platform.

His demeanor shows no hint of urgency or the chaos he has just caused—only the subtle movements of someone merging into the crowd.

Yet, around him, passengers are in a state of panic, casting worried glances behind them. Those who witnessed the incident in Brown’s train car are fleeing in terror.

For the first time, footage from surveillance cameras, accessed by the Daily Mail, reveals Brown’s actions in the moments following the tragic stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska—a shocking crime on a crowded commuter train that has stunned the nation.

Zarutska, 23, had boarded the train after finishing her shift at Zepeddie’s pizza restaurant, heading home to her boyfriend after building a new life in America — far from the war-torn country that she fled. 

But the young woman who had escaped violence in Ukraine couldn’t escape it here. As she sat down in front of Brown — a total stranger — he suddenly lunged at her, stabbing her in the neck multiple times with a pocket knife.

The disturbing video of the attack sparked widespread grief, anger, and questions about public safety as the nation comes to terms with the horror. 

New video has been released showing the knifeman who allegedly killed Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska during the fateful moments before and after the horrific stabbing. He is shown strolling down a platform with the garment bundled in his arms, as shown above 

The Daily Mail has obtained video showing him nonchalantly wandering down a train platform moments after the slaughter, while commuters sprinted away, as shown above

Zarutska’s family has paid tribute to her as a ‘gifted and passionate artist’ who had a ‘vibrant spirit’ and ‘a deep love for animals’

As Zarutska lay dying on the floor of the train, the footage shows Brown stroll down the carriage and remove his hoodie, which had likely been sprayed with blood during the attack. 

The bright red hoodie made him recognizable, and the sight of it bundled in his hands as he strolled nonchalantly down the platform in the new footage is a chilling reminder of the horror that unfolded moments before. 

Another camera angle from the footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows how, police tackling Brown to the ground and placing him in handcuffs five minutes after the murder.

One officer produces a flashlight and searches platform and a nearby trashcan for any signs of a weapon, while another rummages through Brown’s red hoodie. 

It comes as the alleged killer is due to appear in court on Thursday, where he faces the death penalty after his murder charges were upgraded to federal terrorism charges. 

His attorney is expected to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. 

Another chilling clip obtained by the Daily Mail shows Brown arriving at the station and waiting for the train where he would allegedly go on to launch the deadly attack.  

Brown, who is schizophrenic, appeared to be in an agitated, zombie-like state as he staggered back and forth  on the station platform. 

DeCarlos Brown, 34, was previously seen in surveillance footage lunging at Zarutska, 23, from behind as she sat scrolling on her phone on a train through Charlotte on August 22

Zarutska’s heartbroken family said that she had only recently arrived in the US ‘seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning’ before the random slaughter

Brown is due to appear in court on Thursday. His attorney is expected to enter a not guilty plea 

At one point, Brown sat on a bench and slumped over with his head hung low. He also began rocking from side to side, prompting one commuter to turn their head and observe his strange behavior. 

In audio exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail last month, Brown told his sister in a phone call from jail that he had been hearing voices in his head which led him to launch the deadly attack. 

Tracey Brown blamed the ‘broken’ US mental health system for repeatedly releasing her brother back onto the streets over several years when he tried to admit himself to the hospital for treatment.

He also has a lengthy criminal record and has been through the court system multiple times, with a personal gallery of mugshots to show for it. 

‘He was a high risk. He was not in his right mind. He was not safe for society,’ Tracey Brown told the Daily Mail. 

‘We know what he has been dealing with the last three years,’ she added. ‘And now an innocent woman is dead. 

Meanwhile, Zarutska’s boyfriend Stas Nikulytsia, who she had just moved in with, shared a heartbreaking video showing her embracing her new life in America before her dream was cut cruelly short  

In a poignant compilation posted to Instagram, Nikulytsia showed his girlfriend reveling in her new life – sipping cocktails, eating barbecue and dancing with friends.

Zarutska’s family paid tribute to her as a ‘gifted and passionate artist’ who had a ‘vibrant spirit’

Brown has spent most of his life in and out of prison. He served five years in prison for a 2014 armed robbery and was released in September 2020 – when he quickly resumed a life of crime 

The video also captured tender moments, including the couple embracing in an elevator, kissing the camera and enjoying time together.

Zarutska emigrated from Ukraine with her mother, sister, and brother to escape the war, and she ‘quickly embraced her new life in the United States,’ her family wrote in her obituary.

They also said she had managed to become fluent in English ‘within a very short time’, and was ‘hoping for a new beginning’ when she came to Charlotte. 

Zarutska posted a photograph of the high rises which punctuate the North Carolina city’s skyline on Facebook just nine days before she died. 

The image appears to have been taken through the window of a train like the one she boarded on her final day. 

Her family said that before starting her new life in the US, Zarutska graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration. 

‘She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork,’ they said. 

‘She loved sculpting and designing unique, eclectic clothing that reflected her vibrant spirit.’

‘Though she enjoyed adventures, sightseeing, and exploring new places with her close friends, Zarutska was also a homebody at heart, happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones,’ her traumatized family added.

‘Her mother lovingly recalls her ability to sleep for wonderfully long stretches—something she affectionately called an ‘artist’s gift.”

Iryna fled her home country of Ukraine to the United States in 2022 ‘seeking safety from the war’, her family said on a GoFundMe page

Zarutska’s family said she had been ‘hoping for a new beginning’ when she came to Charlotte. She posted a photo (shown above) of the city’s skyline on Facebook nine days before she died

Zarutska’s family added that she had ‘a deep love for animals’ and dreamed of becoming a veterinary assistant. 

‘She often cared for her neighbors’ pets, and many fondly remember seeing her walking them through the neighborhood, always with her radiant smile,’ they said. 

In the meantime, Zarutska was working at Zepeddie’s pizzeria in south Charlotte to pay the bills, while learning to drive to secure her independence. 

The surveillance footage of her final moments on August 22 shows her wearing her unassuming work uniform – long pants with a black t-shirt and cap branded with the Zepeddie’s logo. 

She had been riding back from the restaurant just before 10pm that day when the knifeman lunged at her behind, ending her life in a matter of moments.