America mourns the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who sought peace in North Carolina but was killed in an unprovoked attack on August 22. While boarding a train in Charlotte, she texted her boyfriend she would soon be home—but never made it. Her sudden death devastated loved ones and shocked the community.

Iryna fled war-torn Ukraine in 2022 and worked full-time at a pizzeria while attending community college to learn English. Friends and family remember her as kind, hardworking, and hopeful. Her boyfriend, Stanislav “Stas” Nikulytsia, expressed deep grief and shared their photo with a broken heart emoji on social media.

Stas’s sorrow turned to outrage as he publicly criticized Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who had released the accused attacker, Decarlos Brown Jr., on cashless bail despite his 14 prior arrests and troubling behavior. Brown’s own family had raised concerns about his mental health.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation of the justice system. North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore called Judge Stokes unfit for her role and demanded judicial reforms to prevent tragedies involving repeat offenders.

While the community grieves, the love story between Iryna and Stas remains central—a life once full of hope and plans for the future, now cut short. Iryna’s memory calls for urgent reform and renewed commitment to justice, compassion, and safety for all refugees seeking a new life in America.