Americans were recently horrified by the brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a train in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The attack did not go unnoticed by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who are intervening to seek justice.  

Attorney general announces federal charges

According to Fox News, Bondi announced on Tuesday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is bringing federal charges against the alleged perpetrator, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr.

"I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder," Bondi declared.

"We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man," she continued.

The attorney general went on to assert that Zarutska's killing was "direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people."

Patel: FBI will help "to ensure justice is served"

Patel spoke up in a statement of his own, saying, "The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte light rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America."

"The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served, and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again," he explained.

🚨 The FBI has been investigating the Charlotte train murder from day one.

Stay tuned.

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 9, 2025

"I want to thank Attorney General Bondi for her pursuit of today’s federal charges, which are the first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family – as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals," the FBI director stressed.

Trump calls for death penalty, slams cashless bail

Fox News noted that for his part, President Donald Trump put up a post on Truth Social in which he maintained that Zarutska's killer should face capital punishment.

"The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY. There can be no other option!" he wrote.

In an earlier post, the president highlighted bail reform policies which have been undertaken in many blue jurisdictions, including cashless bail.

"This cashless bail started a wave in our country where a killer kills somebody and is out on the street by the afternoon and, in many cases, going out and killing again, cashless bail," Trump stated.