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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lambasted media outlets Tuesday for their slow response in covering the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.
Zarutska, 23, came to the U.S. seeking safety from the war in Ukraine, but was stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22. She was riding home from work at a pizzeria and still wearing her uniform when an assailant stabbed her to death. The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested and charged with murder.
Footage of the attack has gone viral on social media and fueled national debates about crime and public safety. Leavitt argued the media was slow to report the story.
CHARLOTTE MAYOR SLAMMED OVER COMMENTS AFTER WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH ON TRAIN
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Democratic policies in cities located in red states have led to crime increases. (Getty Images)
"This is madness. This monster should have been locked up, and Iryna should still be alive, but Democrat politicians, liberal judges, and weak prosecutors would rather virtue signal than lock up criminals and protect their communities," she warned. "Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative."
Leavitt compared the case to the 2023 Daniel Penny incident in New York City, where the Marine veteran was charged after fatally restraining Jordan Neely on a subway train.
"Many of the journalists in this room spilled plenty of ink, trying to smear Daniel Penny for defending a subway car from a deranged lunatic in New York City, but none of those same reporters lift a finger to write stories about an actual murderer," she said. "Here’s the truth that every American must know. Too many innocent people across the country continue to pay the price of the failed experiment known as cashless bail that has been championed by the Democratic Party for years."
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Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed in the throat three times with a folding knife during what police describe as a random attack on Aug. 22, 2025. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System | GoFundMe)
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Leavitt argued that Democrats in North Carolina and nationwide are pushing a "soft-on-crime agenda" that leaves innocent Americans vulnerable.
"These reckless policies have turned too many of America's cities into hunting grounds for career criminals who mock our justice system, drain law enforcement resources, and wreak havoc on law-abiding citizens," she said. "Enough is enough."
Numerous news outlets have gotten around to covering her murder this week, although some are framing their coverage as conservatives and Republicans trying to take advantage of the situation politically.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks about the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska (R) during a daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on September 9, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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Fox News' Rachel Wolf and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.
Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.