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The boyfriend of slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has expressed outrage at a Chicago judge’s decision to release a notorious repeat offender, who is accused of setting a woman ablaze on a train.
Stanislav Nikulytsia highlighted the tragic murder of his girlfriend while drawing a comparison to the disturbing assault on Bethany MaGee in Illinois last week.
MaGee, 26, was drenched in gasoline and ignited aboard the city’s Blue Line last Monday. Remarkably, she managed to escape the train and survive the ordeal.
The alleged assailant, Lawrence Reed, has a lengthy criminal record with 72 previous arrests, and he was released by a judge just months earlier despite an alleged attack on a social worker.
On Instagram, Nikulytsia shared a news story about MaGee’s attack, commenting, “72 prior arrests sounds like a joke.”
‘I guess 72 times was not enough to understand who he is. Why they always wait for them to do something like that to start doing something to prevent it.’
In August, Zarutska was fatally stabbed in an apparent random attack aboard a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Her alleged attacker Decarlos Brown Jr. is also a career criminal who was allowed to walk from court in January despite a litany of arrests for armed robbery and assault.
Bethany MaGee’s family and friends have asked for prayers as she recovers from her horrific injuries
Stanislav Nikulytsia, left, drew a direct parallel with the murder of his girlfriend Iryna, right, and the horrifying attack on MaGee
A magistrate judge allowed Brown – who was homeless – to walk free on a ‘written promise’ that he would return for his next court appearance.
Brown’s lengthy history of run–ins with the law also included assaulting his sister in 2021, leaving her with minor injuries, as well as armed robbery in 2014.
The disturbing video of his attack on Zarutska caused widespread sadness, anger and questions about public safety in the US earlier this year.
MaGee meanwhile is now in a critical condition in hospital with her family by her side after suffering burns to 60 percent of her body.
She sustained the most serious burns on her left arm and hand, according to an update from her church community.
She had surgery earlier this week and is expected to be in hospital for at least three months for treatment and rehabilitation.
MaGee’s suspected attacker Reed was released on an ankle monitor after the alleged assault on a social worker in August.
Surveillance footage showed MaGee sitting in the train car before Reed, a complete stranger, allegedly poured gasoline over her head and body.
Magee, 26, was doused in gasoline and set alight on the city’s Blue Line last Monday, but managed to flee the train and survive
Lawrence Reed is the suspect accused of setting MaGee alight. He has a slew of previous arrests
In a horrifying chain of events, MaGee attempted to fight off her attacker while Reed allegedly tried to set her on fire.
Reed approached MaGee and repeatedly yelled ‘burn alive b***h,’ a criminal affidavit filed in federal court alleged.
Horrified locals now believe MaGee’s ordeal could have been avoided, had a female Illinois not judge ignored a prosecutor’s warnings about Reed.
Despite the prosecutor warning Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez that Reed had a lengthy rap sheet and his next crime would ‘likely be violent’, she allowed him to walk free.
MaGee was seen running to the front of the train car to escape before her attacker allegedly ignited the bottle in his hand, according to the affidavit.
Reed then allegedly ran to the front of the train car and watched his victim as her body was ‘engulfed in flames’.
MaGee attempted to extinguish the flames by dropping to the ground and fled the train car when it stopped at Clark and Lake.
The victim collapsed when she arrived at the station where multiple witnesses attended to her while she waited for emergency responders.
Her family put out a statement saying, ‘We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well-wishes as our daughter receives care for injuries sustained earlier this week.’
‘We are also grateful for the excellent care and support of the burn team at Stroger Hospital.’
Reed was hit with a federal terrorism charge.