North Carolina Republicans are blaming Democrats’ “woke” policies and lenient crime enforcement for the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light-rail train.
Simmons, without giving any specifics, listed Democrats’ “policies of appeasement” and their “weak on crime policies” as reasons leading to criminal activity in Charlotte and the country.
He also spent five years in prison for robbery with a dangerous weapon starting in 2015, according to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
The letter was signed by seven other North Carolina representatives.
Editor’s note: This story has been clarified to reflect North Carolina does not have a cashless bail system.
Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on a light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Republicans in the state are placing the blame on Democrats’ “woke” policies and lax law enforcement. In the meantime, former Gov. In retaliation, Democratic Roy Cooper charges Republicans with politicizing a tragedy.
Democratic leaders’ “woke” policies and “ongoing failures” that they claim led to Zarutska’s untimely death last month were denounced by Republican leaders in Charlotte at a joint news conference on Wednesday. Decarlos Brown Jr. was taken into custody in August. 22 after authorities claim, in an affidavit obtained by ABC News, that he stabbed Zarutska three times while she was traveling on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte.
Mecklenburg County Republican Party chairman Kyle Kirby claimed that “woke” Democratic policies, such as cashless bail, were to blame for Iryna Zaruska’s death in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Judges and magistrates in North Carolina may release a defendant on a written promise in certain situations or require a secured bond in accordance with state law; the state does not have a cashless bail system.
According to Jason Simmons, the chairman of the Republican Party of North Carolina, “Democrats have chosen to side with criminals”—creating a “crime epidemic.”. Without providing specifics, Simmons cited Democrats’ “weak on crime policies” and “policies of appeasement” as contributing factors to crime in Charlotte and the nation.
The suspect, 34, has a criminal history that includes charges of breaking and entering and larceny. Additionally, he was imprisoned for five years beginning in 2015 for robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
Democratic leaders have responded to the GOP’s interpretation of the murder as proof of Democratic failure on a systemic level.
In his response to Republican criticism, Cooper, who is seeking the Senate in North Carolina in 2026, seemed to blame his rival, former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, for attempting to gain “political points.”. “.
“We must do everything we can to keep people safe,” he wrote in a Sept., referring to the murder of Iryna Zarutska. 9 posts on X.
“Only a cynical DC insider would think it’s acceptable to use her death for political points, especially one who supported cutting funding to law enforcement in NC,” Cooper remarked, seemingly in reference to Whatley.
Democratic Gov. In order to help stop these kinds of crimes, Josh Stein stated that he is advocating for increased police presence.
To keep people safe, we need more police officers on the beat. In order to hire more skilled police officers, Stein wrote on X earlier this week, “That’s why my budget calls for more funding.”.
To fill the vacancies in our state and local law enforcement agencies and enable them to prevent these heinous crimes and hold violent offenders accountable, I urge the legislature to approve my law enforcement recruitment and retention package. “,”.
President Donald Trump voiced his opinion about the stabbing earlier this week and called for Brown to be executed.
Trump’s remarks coincide with his efforts to combat crime across the country, including his federal law enforcement blitz in Washington, D.C. C.
According to an AP-NORC poll released in August, more than half of the general public supports Trump’s approach to crime. 21 to 25. But there is a clear partisan gap between Republicans and Democrats: 88 percent of Republicans support Trump’s approach to crime, while only 16 percent of Democrats do the same.
Republicans are demanding that Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes be removed because they believe she failed to hold Brown accountable for his previous alleged crimes, and Brown’s court date is later this month.
North Carolina Rep. In a letter addressed to Chief Judge Wiggins, Tim Moore said that Stokes “approved Brown’s release based only on his ‘written promise’ to appear for a future court date.”. Seven additional North Carolina representatives signed the letter.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to remove any mention of North Carolina’s cashless bail system.
