A viral video of the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte, North Carolina, train is driving a new round of political debate, with MAGA-aligned influencers and Republican figures seizing on the case to highlight concerns about violent crime in Democrat-run cities.
“When did this happen?” Trump told reporters on the tarmac Sunday when asked for comment about the August stabbing showed in gruesome video released this weekend.
“Oh, I see, yeah, I see the video. I’ll know all about it by tomorrow morning.”
The case underscores the crime message Trump intends to emphasize nationally, a Trump adviser told Axios on Monday.
“This is exactly what he’s talking about, and it’s going to be an issue he’s going to highlight, the source said. “This is not just about North Carolina. Other campaigns will deal with this.”
Elon Musk, Stephen Miller, Charlie Kirk, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy all weighed in on the case via X, pointing to what they describe as rising dangers in American cities and underreporting by mainstream outlets.
North Carolina GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley linked the killing to former Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper’s policies, accusing him of being “soft on crime.” Cooper’s campaign dismissed the claim as false, noting his record of prosecuting violent offenders and strengthening penalties.
Charlotte Democrat Mayor Vi Lyles called the attack “heartbreaking,” while prosecutors noted broader challenges in handling defendants with mental health issues.
Conservatives also drew attention to the racial dynamics — a Black suspect and a white man trying to protect passengers — contrasting the media response to that of Daniel Penny, a white man acquitted after killing a Black subway passenger in New York in 2023.
“Zero,” Musk deadpanned on X in a response to tallies showing the legacy media outlets that have yet to cover the Zarutska killing.
Among the other X posts:
- “Dems love Ukrainians Until their stories don’t match the approved narrative of the left,” Lee wrote. “Then they just become collateral damage to the left — like everyone else.”
- “The Democrat Party at every level — judges, politicians, academics, nonprofits — is organized around the defense and protection of the criminal, the monstrous and the depraved,” Miller posted. “The more vile the threat, the more vociferously the Democrat Party works to protect and enable it.”
- “Charlotte’s Mayor doesn’t want the media to show you the ugly truth,” Duffy wrote. “Why? Because she and other public officials in her city bear responsibility. This monster had a track record longer than a CVS receipt, including prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, and larceny. By failing to properly punish him, Charlotte failed Iryna Zarutska and North Carolinians. This is totally unacceptable! Safety needs to be the top priority of elected officials. Citizens don’t want federal dollars going to public transportation that local leaders refuse to keep safe!”
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