In a legal battle underscored by grief and outrage, the family of Iryna Zarutska has filed a lawsuit against the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and its private transit security firm. This action comes a year after her tragic murder sent shockwaves across the nation.
The lawsuit claims that deep-rooted “systemic failures” have left Charlotte’s light-rail system perilously unprotected, posing significant safety threats to passengers.
At the heart of the complaint, the wrongful-death lawsuit—brought against the City of Charlotte and Professional Police Services Inc., known publicly as Professional Security Services (PSS)—asserts that Zarutska’s death was entirely avoidable. At this stage, these allegations await judicial examination.
Lauren Newton, representing Zarutska’s bereaved family and estate, emphasized the longstanding nature of the issues, telling WBTV, “What it shows is the systemic failures that have been within the CATS system for years that the city has been aware of.”
Central to the lawsuit is the accusation that during the fatal incident on August 22, 2025, no security guard was present on the Lynx Blue Line train where Zarutska was stabbed. It further criticizes PSS for inadequately staffing and deploying both armed and unarmed security personnel.
Charlotte’s amended contract with PSS provided funding for 219 security personnel for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, according to the complaint, which alleges PSS had hired 183 at the time of Zarutska’s killing.
The lawsuit further alleges PSS had only 11 armed guards despite the contract providing for up to 39 armed personnel.
“They weren’t fully staffed,” Newton told WBTV. “If there had been a security guard on that train, Iryna Zarutska would be here.”
Her assertion that a guard would have prevented Zarutska’s death has not been established in court.
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The complaint also takes aim at fare enforcement, alleging Zarutska’s accused killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., rode CATS transportation without paying before the attack.
It alleges there were no physical barriers preventing non-ticketed riders from accessing the light rail.
“There’s been literally no fare enforcement and those things, at a basic level, are what’s necessary for safety. And there’s been none of that,” Newton told WBTV.
The lawsuit alleges Charlotte and PSS knew or should have known about the Blue Line and its stops had repeatedly been the site of criminal activity before Zarutska’s death.
“Violent crime was absolutely foreseeable,” Newton told WBTV.
The estate brings claims including wrongful death based on allegedly negligent and inadequate security and gross negligence.
It seeks damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages against PSS, but not against Charlotte.
“The family doesn’t want this to happen to anyone else’s loved one,” Newton previously told WBTV.
Fox News Digital separately reached out to PSS and Newton for comment but did not receive immediate responses.
The City of Charlotte informed Fox News Digital it does not provide comment on active litigation.