The boyfriend of a young Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed by a man with a history of mental illness has criticized a judge for releasing a repeat violent offender who allegedly set a woman on fire on a Chicago train.
Stanislav Nikrizia drew comparisons between the tragic death of his girlfriend, Irina Zaluzka, 23, in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August and a recent attack on Bethany McGee on the L train on November 17.
“The last 72 arrests are like a joke. I guess 72 arrests weren’t enough to understand who he is,” Nikrizia stated in an Instagram story, referencing local reports on the Chicago incident.
“Why do they always wait until something happens before taking preventive measures?” he questioned.
Zaluzka had fled her war-torn home in Ukraine in 2022, only to be stabbed while returning from work on a train.
DeCarlos Brown, a man with 14 prior arrests, was taken into custody shortly after being charged with her murder.
Bizarrely, Brown had been released on cashless bail in January by Judge Teresa Stokes, with only a “written undertaking” to appear in court later.
Nikrizia, referred to as Zaluzka’s “life partner” in her obituary, shared a link to a video condemning the “terrible” judge, suggesting she was inciting public outrage.
In Chicago, Lawrence Reed, 50, is accused of attacking McGee by dousing her with gasoline and setting her alight.
He had been released from prison in August by Cook County Judge Teresa Molina Gonzalez on a separate assault case, despite having previously slapped a social worker hard enough to knock her out.
Reed was placed on electronic monitoring, a move that prosecutor Jerilyn Gumira criticized as “wholly inadequate.”
Still, the judge argued that detention was not the solution, saying, “I can’t keep everyone in jail just because the state’s attorney wants me to. But I understand and respect your position.”
