President Donald Trump had a surprising response after being asked about a Ukrainian refugee named Iryna Zarutska, who lost her life in what appeared to be a random stabbing attack on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The altercation took place on August 22, after Zarutska, who had fled the war in Ukraine with her mother, sister and brother, boarded the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Blue Line and took a seat on the row in front of stabbing suspect Decarlos Brown Jr.
The pair had no interaction, and footage from the train showed Zarutska had just been looking at her phone and listening to her headphones when she was suddenly stabbed in the neck. After the attack, Brown made his way down the train carriage away from the scene.
Brown was quickly arrested after Zarutska was stabbed, with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirming he has been charged with first-degree murder. Zarutska, who was just 23 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brown is reported as having a history of criminal activity and mental health issues, and he made his first court appearance on August 29, at which time he was denied bond and ordered to undergo a competency evaluation. CATS then released the footage of the incident on September 5, bringing more widespread attention to the case.
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News of the stabbing prompted one reporter to question Trump about it when he spoke to press at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where he arrived on September 7 on Air Force One.
In response to the news of the case, Trump described it as 'horrible'.
However, with more than two weeks having passed since the heinous attack, the president then made another surprising admission when reacting to the news.
He said: "I haven’t heard ... when did this happen?"
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Trump then indicated that he would receive a briefing on the crime, saying: "I’ll know all about it by tomorrow morning."
An obituary for Zarutska describes her as a 'gifted and passionate artist' who 'shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork'.
"She dreamed of pursuing a career as a Veterinary Assistant while also working toward her independence by learning to drive," it continues.
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"Though she enjoyed adventures, sightseeing, and exploring new places with her close friends, Iryna was also a homebody at heart, happiest when surrounded by family and loved ones."
Brown is scheduled to have his next court appearance on September 19.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Topics: Crime, Donald Trump, Mental Health, Ukraine, North Carolina
Emily Brown