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Family of Charlotte train stabbing victim files wrongful death lawsuit against city and security contractor
ReFamily of Charlotte train stabbing victim files wrongful death lawsuit against city and security contractor
The family of Iryna Zarutska is suing Charlotte, North Carolina, and its transit security contractor, alleging no guard was on the train when she was fatally stabbed. The lawsuit claims systemic security failures and seeks damages exceeding $25,000.
The family of Iryna Zarutska has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and its private transit security contractor, one year after her fatal stabbing on a light-rail train. The complaint alleges that a combination of understaffing, missing fare enforcement, and ignored warnings left the city's transit system dangerously exposed.
The lawsuit, filed against the City of Charlotte and Professional Police Services Inc., doing business as Professional Security Services (PSS), claims no security guard was aboard the Lynx Blue Line train when Zarutska was attacked on Aug. 22, 2025. The family's attorney, Lauren Newton, told local outlet WBTV that the case highlights years of known failures within the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The allegations have not been adjudicated in court.
According to the complaint, Charlotte's amended contract with PSS provided funding for 219 security personnel for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. At the time of the killing, the lawsuit alleges PSS had hired only 183 people. The complaint further states that PSS had just 11 armed guards on staff, despite the contract allowing for up to 39 armed personnel.
Newton argued that proper staffing could have changed the outcome. «They weren’t fully staffed,» she told WBTV. «If there had been a security guard on that train, Iryna Zarutska would be here.» That assertion has not been established in court.
The lawsuit also targets fare enforcement practices. It alleges that the accused killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., rode CATS transportation without paying before the attack. The complaint says 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 said.
Beyond the immediate failures, the lawsuit contends that Charlotte and PSS knew or should have known that the Blue Line and its stops had repeatedly been sites of criminal activity before Zarutska's death. «Violent crime was absolutely foreseeable,» Newton told WBTV.
The estate's claims include wrongful death based on allegedly negligent and inadequate security, as well as gross negligence. The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages against PSS, but not against the city of Charlotte. «The family doesn’t want this to happen to anyone else’s loved one,» Newton previously told WBTV.
Fox News Digital reached out to PSS and Newton for comment but did not receive immediate responses. The City of Charlotte said it does not comment on active litigation.
