Donald Trump brought a Charlotte light-rail killing into the national spotlight Tuesday night by inviting Anna Zarutska to attend his State of the Union address. Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death on the Lynx Blue Line last summer, a case that shook Charlotte and fueled a new North Carolina bail law.
During the speech, cameras showed Zarutska standing and wiping tears as the chamber applauded after the president described her daughter’s death.
Unfortunately during his speech, the president incorrectly insinuated that the accused killer, DeCarlos Brown Jr., was an immigrant who came to America via “open borders”.
“She had escaped a brutal war only to be slain by a hardened criminal, set free to kill in America, came in through open borders,” Trump commented in his speech.
According to public records, Brown is an American citizen who was born in Charlotte and attended West Charlotte High School.
Trump placed Zarutska right beside Erika Kirk – moments before mentioning Zarutska, Trump praised Charlie Kirk, describing him as having been “violently murdered by an assassin,” then asked Kirk’s widow to stand.
President Trump highlights the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte during the State of the Union #ncpol #StateOfTheUnion pic.twitter.com/kYtDA9TLvc
— Nick Craig (@nicholasmcraig) February 25, 2026
The Charlotte killing has already driven policy in Raleigh. In late 2025, lawmakers passed House Bill 307, widely known as “Iryna’s Law,” which reshaped parts of the state’s pretrial release system. Legal analysts say the law removed “written promise to appear” as a release option and tightened rules for certain defendants, especially those facing violent-offense charges.
For Charlotte, the renewed national attention lands on two still-live issues: transit safety and how the region handles repeat offenders with serious mental health needs. The case also keeps pressure on city and state leaders to show that new bail rules, policing resources, and CATS security changes translate into safer rides on the Lynx Blue Line.
