President Donald Trump sent his sympathies to the family of the victim in a stabbing on the light rail in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month.
“I just give my love and hope to the family of the young woman who was stabbed this morning or last night in Charlotte by a madman,” Trump said Monday.
“A lunatic just got up and started — it’s right on the tape, not really watchable, because it’s so horrible — but just viciously stabs her. She’s just sitting there. So they’re evil people. We have to be able to handle that. If we don’t handle that, we don’t have a country,” he said.
The attack happened on Aug. 22. Surveillance video of the incident published by the Charlotte Area Transit System over the weekend sparked intense reaction online.
Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, was the victim of the attack. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., allegedly stabbed Zarutska three times, according to court documents. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT FATAL STABBING OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEE ON CHARLOTTE’S LIGHT RAIL
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called the attack a “senseless and tragic loss.”
“My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time,” the mayor said. “Like so many of you, I’m heartbroken — and I’ve been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city. I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.”