U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Monday evening on Fox News‘s Sean Hannity program that the Department of Transportation (DOT) will investigate Charlotte’s transit system following the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on the city’s Lynx Blue Line last month.
Speaking at 9 p.m., Duffy threatened to withhold federal funding from Charlotte if the investigation reveals safety failures. Separately, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed his agency has been investigating the high-profile case “from day one.”
Zarutska was killed by a stranger, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, while riding Charlotte’s light rail on August 22. The case gained widespread attention after the Charlotte Area Transit System released video footage of the killing over the weekend. Brown has been charged with first-degree murder.
Duffy announced the DOT investigation will begin Tuesday, focusing on what he characterized as Charlotte’s “failure to protect” Zarutska.
While Duffy acknowledged he cannot immediately withhold federal funds without completing an investigation, he indicated the outcome could result in complete suspension of federal transportation funding for Charlotte.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
.@USDOT will investigate and make sure ZERO tax dollars go to soft-on-crime transit systems that allow horrific tragedies like what happened in Charlotte, North Carolina.Murders on public transit like that of Iryna Zarutska should never be allowed to happen again. pic.twitter.com/df2UmovHV9
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 9, 2025
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