Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez invoked “housing policy” on Thursday to explain the brutal murder of 23-year old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a commuter light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ocasio-Cortez told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a brief Thursday interview that “homelessness” and “economic insecurity” were largely responsible for DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, a mentally ill homeless man, fatally stabbing Zarutska three times in the neck on Aug 22. The accused killer had at least 14 prior arrests — and was free on cash bail with a “written promise” to show up for court proceedings — when he murdered Zarutska during the unprovoked attack. (RELATED: Trump Speaks Out On Video Of Ukrainian Refugee Being Stabbed On Metro In Charlotte)

“We are absolutely seeing in places across the country, I think, is an increase in emotionally-disturbed individuals on public transit,” Ocasio-Cortez told the DCNF. “We are seeing a surge in homelessness. Many times people descend into further stages of mental illness, increased propensity to violence once they are in a place of homelessness.”

“I think a lot of this has to do with housing policy,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “I think a lot of this has to do with economic insecurity as well.”

The left-wing firebrand and rumored 2028 presidential candidate did not directly respond to the DCNF’s inquiry whether Democrats’ support for soft-on-crime policies enabled Brown to fatally stab Zarutska.

Brown had a lengthy rap sheet with prior convictions for armed robbery, breaking and entering and felony larceny. He was released from prison in January on a “written promise to appear” for court proceedings after he was arrested for allegedly abusing the 911 system.

Ocasio-Cortez expressed sorrow for Zarutska and the refugee’s family in Ukraine on Thursday, but said her condolences also extend to “everyone involved.”

“It is so heartbreaking and horrific,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “No one should ever have to endure that kind of loss in their life. My heart absolutely breaks for Iryna’s family and everyone involved.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks alongside a photo of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was allegedly killed by Decarlos Brown Jr., on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, September 9, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has torched North Carolina Democrats, including former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, for supporting policies that have allowed dangerous individuals to roam free despite countless arrests and history of mental illness.

“That has become the norm in Democrat-run cities, where Radical Left policies like ‘no cash bail’ and ‘defund the police’ put depraved career criminals back on the streets,” the White House said in a statement following the murder.

North Carolina Republicans have also argued that Zarutska’s slaying was a preventable tragedy and zeroed in on Democratic policies, such as cashless bail, for allowing Brown to take Zarutska’s life.

“A man with 14 arrests should have been locked up long before he had the chance to murder Iryna Zarutska,” Republican North Carolina Rep. Pat Harrigan wrote on X on Tuesday. “This happened because Democrat judges and DAs keep releasing violent criminals instead of protecting the public.”

“Until they are removed from power, more innocent families will face the same heartbreak,” Harrigan continued.

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