Audio from a 911 call made during a stabbing incident involving Ukrainian refugees was released on Wednesday, highlighting the desperate pleas for help from witnesses.
In August, a video of the attack that took place on the Charlotte Light Rail train surfaced online, leading to the arrest of DeCarlos Brown Jr. Several bystanders could be heard in the recording, one urgently requesting assistance from the 911 operator.
“We’re on the train. This man just stabbed this woman for no reason,” the caller revealed.
The operator, recognizing the gravity of the situation, inquired if the suspect had claimed responsibility and whether medical services were necessary.
“Yes, I’m on the train. Yes, she’s bleeding,” the witness responded, clearly distraught.
As details unfolded, another witness described the injured woman, Irina Zaltoska, lying on the ground, “with lots of blood” around her.
“I don’t know what happened. We didn’t see it. Now this woman is on the ground, and everyone is screaming that she has been stabbed. I’m not sure if someone has called 911,” they said.
“She’s on the train, and she’s on the ground now,” this witness continued. “There are people around her trying to apply pressure to her wounds. There’s a lot of blood.”
The operator then asked if the witness saw the suspect stab Zaltoska. They admitted they hadn’t but noted that Zaltoska still had a “pulse.”
“No, I didn’t see it. We were further down the train. I think she may have been stabbed in the carotid artery, but I can’t say for sure. People around her are saying she’s gone,” the second witness added with uncertainty.
Meanwhile, a third witness mentioned that the fire department had arrived but police were still missing. They also reported seeing a suspect matching the description of a black man with dreadlocks on the platform.
“I think she might be dead,” they expressed, noting that the suspect was still nearby.
“He’s on the platform. He’s a black man in a red jacket and black T-shirt,” the witness specified.
When asked by the operator about a possible orange hoodie, the witness corrected, “No, he’s wearing a black T-shirt. The hoodie is wrapped around his hand.”
Footage from the attack shows that Zaltoska boarded the train shortly before Brown, who reportedly stabbed her three times, including once in the throat, using a pocket knife.
Following the assault, Brown was seen walking down the railcar, while Zaltoska was declared dead on the train.
Prior to this incident, Brown had been sentenced to five years for armed robbery. After his release, his mother reported that he had started to act strangely, according to local news.
