Charlotte train stabbing suspect’s state case stalls amid mind control claims — but Uncle Sam says not so fast

The stateless antheral accused of stabbing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska connected a North Carolina light-rail bid has been deemed incompetent to basal proceedings successful his authorities case, but national authorities vowed the determination volition not interaction their ain lawsuit against him.

Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged with fatally stabbing Zarutska portion the brace were aboard the light-rail Lynx Blue Line successful Charlotte connected Aug. 22, 2025. 

In tribunal documents filed earlier this week and obtained by Fox News, Brown’s lawyer revealed a Central Regional Hospital valuation determined his lawsuit was "incapable to proceed" successful his upcoming authorities transgression trial, efficaciously halting prosecution. 

However, authorities wrong the Department of Justice person revealed the ruling is "completely separate" from Brown’s national proceedings, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

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Booking photograph of Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., taken Sept. 14, 2022, pursuing his apprehension successful Mecklenburg County. Brown, 34, is present charged successful the Aug. 22, 2025, stabbing decease of Ukrainian exile Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office)

"I had a large telephone this greeting with our U.S. Attorney successful Charlotte," Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon said successful a station connected X. 

"Brown remains successful national custody and truthful the parallel authorities proceedings are successful nary mode dispositive."

A abstracted competency determination volition beryllium conducted successful narration to the national lawsuit against Brown, who remains successful national custody, according to Dhillon.

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Iryna Zarutska curls up successful fearfulness arsenic a antheral looms implicit her during a disturbing onslaught connected a Charlotte, N.C. airy obstruction train. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System)

In lieu of the hold successful Brown’s authorities proceedings, officials indispensable behaviour a abstracted psychiatric valuation to find if helium is competent to basal proceedings – a process that cannot beryllium initiated portion helium is successful national custody, according to tribunal documents. 

Surveillance video shows Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, entering the bid car and taking a spot successful beforehand of Brown. 

Approximately 4 minutes later, Brown allegedly pulled a weapon from his pouch and stabbed her 3 times earlier walking disconnected the train.

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Zarutska was fatally stabbed successful the pharynx 3 times with a folding weapon during what constabulary picture arsenic a random onslaught connected Aug. 22, 2025. (Luca Veros/Instagram)

He was taken into custody moments aboriginal connected the light-rail platform, portion Zarutska was pronounced dormant astatine the scene. 

Brown, a parolee with aggregate documented run-ins with the law, has a agelong reported past of intelligence illness, according to household members.

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By March 2024, authorities had logged six anterior encounters with Brown, including aggregate payment checks triggered by his repeated 911 calls, according to The New York Times.

Just a twelvemonth later, Brown called 911 from Novant Presbyterian Hospital, saying helium needed assistance removing a "man-made" worldly helium claimed was controlling him, the Charlotte Observer reported.

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When officers arrived connected scene, they reportedly told him they were incapable to help. 

In a jailhouse telephone telephone to his sister conscionable days aft Zarutska’s alleged killing, Brown made akin claims regarding "man-made" worldly controlling his mind.

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Brown said helium did not recognize wherefore helium stabbed the 23-year-old exile and claimed the authorities had implanted "materials" successful his encephalon that were controlling his actions, successful the telephone obtained by the Daily Mail.

"They conscionable lashed retired connected her, that's what happened," Brown said. "Whoever was moving the materials they lashed retired connected her. That's each determination is to it. Now they truly gotta analyse what my assemblage was exposed to... Now they gotta bash an probe arsenic to who was the motive down what happened."

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Brown remains successful national custody portion helium awaits proceedings connected some authorities and national charges. 

The DOJ did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.