GoFundMe has pulled fundraisers for a man seen on video stabbing a woman to death on a Charlotte train.
Decarlos Brown, Jr., 34, faces murder charges in the August stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, 23. The Ukrainian refugee was on her way to a job at a pizza restaurant when she was killed. In the video of the incident, Zarutska sits down in a seat in front of Brown and has no interaction with him.
In the video, Brown pulls a knife from his pocket, stands up, and stabs the woman, who seems unaware of his presence as she looks at her phone.
The New York Post reported that multiple GoFundMe pages has been set up for Brow and subsequently taken down by the platform. GoFundMe released a statement that the pages violated their terms of service. Still, some were able to grab screenshots before the pages came down.
"While what happened on the Blue Line was a tragedy, what we mustn't [SIC] lose sight of is the fact that Decarlos Brown Jr. was failed categorically by the judicial system and the mental health services of North Carolina, and as such is not entirely to blame for what happened," the newspaper quoted one of the pages as stating.
"Raising money to assist with legal fees for Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. Anything helps fight against the racism and bias against our people. Thank you for giving us a hand to push against this corrupt narrative," another page stated, according to the New York Post.
The pages sparked an intense backlash on social media: "No, he wasn't the 'victim' of a broken judicial system; the only victim here is Iryna. I can't believe people are fundraising for him?" was one reaction quoted by the Post.
ABC-7 in Charlotte reported that Brown had been arrested at least 14 times on charges that included felony larceny, armed robbery, breaking, assault, and making threats.
Axios reported that aside from a violent and extensive criminal history, Brown also had been diagnosed with had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
A GoFundMe also was set up for Zarutska's family. That fundraiser has raised more than $82,000 as of Monday.
"Ira had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning. Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon," the page states. "This is an irreparable loss for her family. We have created this fundraiser to support Valeria and her loved ones during this heartbreaking time and to help them with the unexpected expenses."
