A Silicon Valley CEO has pledged $500,000 to fund murals across major U.S. cities honoring Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month.
Newsweek has contacted the Charlotte District Attorney’s Office for more information via email.
Why It Matters
Zarutska, 39, had fled the war in Ukraine and resettled in the U.S. in hopes of a safer life. On August 22, she was attacked in what police called an unprovoked stabbing on a Charlotte light rail train.
The shocking video of the attack has circulated widely online, prompting outrage, mourning, and renewed scrutiny of urban crime and transit safety.
The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., has a lengthy criminal record and a documented history of mental illness. Police said he had previously served time for assault and weapons charges.
Surveillance footage shows him approaching Zarutska from behind and attacking her with a knife as she sat quietly on the train.
What To Know
Eoghan McCabe, CEO and founder of the customer communications platform Intercom, announced he would provide $500,000 to various artists willing to paint Zarutska’s image in high-visibility urban areas.
A fundraising campaign launched alongside the mural project is seeking additional contributions to expand the initiative.
“I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent U.S. city locations,” McCabe posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Please contact [email protected] for more details. Please also share this message. If you would like to contribute to this fund, please contact Katie also.”
A GiveSendGo campaign supporting the murals reads: “We will install as many posters and murals across this great nation as funds afford so that the important conversations her slaying provokes may perpetuate and drive much-needed change.”
At time of writing, the GiveSendGo fundraiser had collected over $20,000 toward its $100,000 goal.
The funding will be used in part to support local artists, obtain permits, and coordinate mural logistics in cities across the country.
In Charlotte, the investigation into Zarutska’s death remains ongoing.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X, “Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream—her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people. I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime, and he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
In a statement after the August 22 killing and Brown’s arrest, Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles said: “Tragic incidents like these should force us to look at what we are doing across our community to address root causes. We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health.”
President Donald Trump said Tuesday: “In Charlotte, North Carolina, we saw the results of these policies when a 23-year-old woman who came here from Ukraine met her bloody end on a public train,” adding she was killed by someone “who is roaming free after 14 prior arrests.”
What Happens Next
Applications for the mural grants are expected to open this week, with artists from across the U.S. encouraged to submit proposals. McCabe said he hopes the campaign will “ignite public dialogue” around immigration, urban violence, and mental health.
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