Graphic Content Warning: The following article contains details and descriptions of violence that may disturb some readers. Viewer discretion is advised.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police have shared audio from five 911 calls related to the murder of 23-year-old Irina Salzka, which occurred on the Charlotte Light Rail train. In one call, a witness described the scene to the dispatcher.
Another caller reported: “This woman has just been stabbed… I don’t know where we are… There’s a tall building nearby. There’s a woman on the ground. She’s bleeding, and I don’t think she’s responding.”
A frantic female caller relayed that “Everyone is screaming. People are panicking.” She continued, “There are people around her now. She looks younger… I think she’s dead. There was a lot of blood.” She mentioned that the woman had been stabbed in the carotid artery.
A third caller informed the operator, “A girl was stabbed on the train. I think she’s dead, I think she might be dead.” Another caller described the suspect as “a Black man with dreadlocks, wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans.” The fifth caller confirmed that the stabbing had occurred and that help was on the way.
The family’s demand for justice came soon after this “terrifying” incident. According to a police affidavit, officers responded to a call from the Lynx Blue Line on August 22. Witnesses reported a woman had been stabbed in the throat.
Upon arrival, police found 34-year-old Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. on the outbound platform, fitting the suspect’s description. He was taken into custody after receiving medical attention for an injury to his hand.
Officers recovered a folding knife near the light rail platform. Irina, they found, had a stab wound in the middle of her throat. Despite attempts to save her, she was pronounced dead at 10:05 PM.
Brown was arrested shortly after the attack and charged with first-degree murder as well as another count related to the violent incident on the transit system.
The statement from authorities emphasized that no one should have to fear for their safety while commuting for work or school. As a Ukrainian refugee, Iryna had likely ridden that train many times before this tragic incident. She had simply wanted to return home after a long day.
