Suspect in the motion of stabbing the victim aboard the train next to a photo of President Donald Trump. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System; AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Earlier in the day, the White House posted reaction from Trump on X.com, saying, "The perpetrator was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets? Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP."
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested shortly after the stabbing and hospitalized before being arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. Records obtained by The New York Post showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including charges of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats. Police said Brown did not know Zarutska and the attack was random.
By taking aim at the Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Trump directly injected the tragedy into the center of the upcoming U.S. senate race in North Carolina, slated for next year. Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley are the two major front-runners.
On Monday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) echoed Trump's argument, insisting Cooper's policies "kept violent criminals like this on the streets instead of in jail where they belong."
Former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who, last month, threw his hat in the ring for the U.S. Senate.
North Carolina's Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, was slammed over the weekend, when the video of the stabbing was first released, for not speaking out earlier. He finally commented on the matter Monday morning.
"I am heartbroken for the family of Iryna Zarutska, who lost their loved one to this senseless act of violence, and I am appalled by the footage of her murder. We need more cops on the beat to keep people safe," Stein posted on X.
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"That’s why my budget calls for more funding to hire more well-trained police officers. I call upon the legislature to pass my law enforcement recruitment and retention package to address vacancies in our state and local agencies so they can stop these horrific crimes and hold violent criminals accountable."
During a tour of the Museum of the Bible in the nation's capital on Monday, Trump weighed in on the event once again after the video of the attack surfaced over the weekend.
"We're all people of religion, but there are evil people," Trump said. "And we have to confront that."
Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-democrats-have-blood-hands-after-deadly-charlotte-train-stabbing