Trump State of the Union fact check: Charlotte train murder
Charlotte Observer • • nation
Key Points:
- During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump incorrectly claimed that the man accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte had entered the U.S. through "open borders."
- DeCarlos Brown, 34, a Charlotte native with a history of mental illness and previous arrests, is accused of fatally stabbing Zarutska on a light rail train in August; he was out on bail at the time on unrelated charges.
- Zarutska’s mother, who attended the address as an unannounced guest, was honored by Trump, who vowed justice for her daughter while using the incident to criticize immigration policies.
- Reports indicate Brown was born and raised in Charlotte, contradicting Trump's claim about his immigration status, and
