Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who came to North Carolina in search of peace and was killed in a senseless, unprovoked attack, is a tragic loss that America is grieving. She texted her boyfriend on August 22 that she would be returning home shortly while she was in Charlotte boarding a train. She didn’t make it. Her unexpected passing shocked the community and devastated her loved ones.
Iryna was working full-time at a pizzeria and attending a community college to learn English after she and her family fled war-torn Ukraine in 2022. Her family and friends characterized her as optimistic, hardworking, and kind. Days later, her boyfriend Stanislav “Stas” Nikulytsia broke his silence by posting a picture of the two of them together along with a broken heart emoji. This unvarnished display of grief went viral on social media.
Stas’s sorrow quickly gave way to indignation. Months earlier, he publicly chastised Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes for granting cashless bail to the alleged attacker, Decarlos Brown Jr. Even Brown’s own family had expressed concerns about his mental health due to his lengthy history of arrests (14 total) and concerning behavior.
The judicial system was soon the target of increased criticism. Tim Moore, the speaker of the North Carolina House, criticized Judge Stokes’ ruling, claiming that she was unfit to serve on the bench and that the system had failed Iryna. In order to stop tragedies involving repeat offenders, he joined others in calling for judicial reform.
Iryna and Stas’ love story continues to be at the heart of the tragedy even as public indignation grows. Together, the couple had been constructing a future-focused life in Charlotte. Now, that future has been taken. Similar to Iryna’s family, Stas’s heartbreak serves as a painful reminder of what was lost.
Iryna’s memory turns into a call to action as Charlotte grieves. Her brave and promising life must serve as an inspiration for significant change and a renewed dedication to safety, justice, and compassion for all those who seek asylum in the United States.