Backlash Against Axios Coverage of Stabbing Death
The tragic stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Irina Zaltoska has sparked outrage on social media, especially as many mainstream news outlets appear to downplay incidents that complicate certain crime narratives.
Axios did attempt to report on the incident, but their portrayal has drawn criticism, particularly for allegedly using the tragedy to push a political agenda against conservatives.
“It’s not journalism. It’s partisan propaganda,” remarked critics online.
The footage capturing the fatal attack on Zaltoska, who was assaulted on a light rail car in Charlotte, has caught the eye of various influencers looking to address the issue of rising urban violence. Some have linked the Axios article in their social media posts.
But the response was immediate and intense.
“It’s disgraceful to craft a narrative around the reactions instead of reporting the facts,” tweeted Minnesota Representative Walter Hudson (R).
Hudson expressed further disdain, stating, “Axios is diving towards the lowest standards and has turned this murder story into a vehicle for slandering conservatives.”
Many responded, accusing Axios of sitting on the story for nearly three days before finally reporting it in this manner. One user exclaimed, “You’ve used this tragedy to attack conservatives. That’s why people loathe you.”
Auckland responded—“Thank you for showing your true colors, @Axios. It’s just shameless DNC propaganda.”
Related: Trump Addresses Violence Against Ukrainian Refugees
On Tuesday, the White House also spoke out about the coverage, featuring large images of both victims and suspects related to the case.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt stated, “This is pure evil on display. The most unacceptable part of this story is that her death was entirely preventable.”
Leavitt noted that the suspect, DeCarlos Brown, should not have been on that train that night, having been arrested multiple times before, including for armed robbery and theft.
“It’s humiliating that so many outlets decided her murder wasn’t worth covering because it didn’t fit their chosen narrative,” she added.
