I don’t usually become tearful reading the news.

But this one stopped me, and it remains with me today.

Iryna Zarutska had already survived the unthinkable. She fled the war in Ukraine. Rebuilt her life in America. And on an ordinary day, riding a light rail train in Charlotte, she was stabbed to death by a man with allegedly a long history of violence.

I sat in silence after reading the story. Not just because of the horror of what happened, but because of how preventable it should have been. So many systems had a chance to intervene. None did.

Part of why I felt so sad was because the grief hit from multiple directions. I felt the loss of a refugee who came here looking for safety but in the end wasn’t safe. I felt anger that someone with an alleged violent, well-documented criminal history was released again. And I felt a quiet fear that this tragedy would only make mental illness more stigmatized in the public eye.

That mix of grief, anger, and fear stayed with me.

Because this isn’t just about one man or one moment. It’s about what happens when compassion and accountability are treated like enemies. And what gets lost when stigma grows in every direction.

She escaped a warzone. Then she was murdered on a train in Charlotte.

Iryna Zarutska was a Ukrainian refugee. She came to America for safety. Instead, she died in public — stabbed by a man with a known violent history and mental illness.

He had supposedly been arrested 14 times. He missed a court date just weeks earlier after a new assault charge. He was released on cashless bail.

And the system didn’t stop him. Where was lady justice in this case? 🙋‍♂️

When Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called for “compassion” for the suspect’s mental illness, the backlash came fast, which was completely understandable:

“We want justice for the victim first, not compassion for the offender.”

But here’s what many people miss — stigma shaped this story at every turn.

Stigma against people with mental illness

Let me say it clearly: Most people with mental illness are not violent. Most people who struggle with mental health issues are much more likely to hurt themselves than hurt others. Read more of the research here, here, and here.

But every time a high-profile crime like this happens by a person who seems to be struggling with severe mental illness, fear spikes. Politicians like to point fingers at mental illness, guns, or other politicians.

That fear:

- Fuels stigma, which leads to silence.

- Blocks funding for real treatment and prevention.

- Makes it harder for people to ask for help because they don’t want to be seen as dangerous.

The truth is complicated. This man did have a mental illness. He also had dozens of violent arrests and missed court dates. Mental illness isn’t a free pass, but it also shouldn’t be a blanket blame.

Stigma against the victim

Here’s what stigma does: It turns a real person into a symbol. A headline.

Iryna Zarutska wasn’t just a policy failure. She was a daughter. A friend. A human being. She was the neighborhood dog walker among neighbors. By all accounts, she was a woman with a good heart whose family said she would have wanted to be buried in America due to her love of our country. 💗

And when people say “this is what happens with broken systems,” it implies that her death was expected, even acceptable.

No! We can’t let that happen.

Stigma around telling the truth

Some mental health advocates worry that talking about this story honestly will reinforce stereotypes. So they stay silent. Or speak in vague terms.

I worry about it, too. 😧

But silence is a terrible strategy. We must be honest and authentic about mental illness. By speaking up even when it’s difficult, that helps us crush the stigma.

On the other hand, silence creates a vacuum — one that gets filled by outrage, fear, and political spin.

If we want to fight stigma, we have to:

- Tell the truth (even when it’s messy).

- Stand with victims.

- Name the failures.

- And still say: mental illness is real, treatable, and not the enemy.

Bottom Line

The suspect didn’t fall through the cracks. The cracks are the system.

Compassion and justice aren’t enemies. They’re both essential.

But only one of them was missing that day.

Iryna Zarutska is dead. And we owe her more than statements.

We owe her a system that works for everyone.

What is one thing you can do?

Write your legislative representatives.

Demand justice in this case.

Also, speak up for mental health funding, increased awareness, and support.

MindWatch is a weekly newsletter I created to help crush the stigma of mental health by telling stories and reacting to news, culture, faith, and politics.

Until next week, come back…be here.

Keith