Matt Walsh says passengers who did not try and save Iryna Zarutska's life on the train "should be plagued with shame and guilt"

On Wednesday, September 10, Matt Walsh addressed the viral video of Iryna Zarutska's brutal stabbing by Decarlos Brown in a tweet. The podcaster wrote about other passengers on the train not intervening when Zarutska was stabbing, or even attempting "to help her or give her any aid or comfort" following the incident. 

Per Walsh, on the contrary to helping the 23-year-old, people around her "pretended they didn't notice" as she was bleeding out, with some of them even walking by casually. 

The rest of Walsh's tweet reads:

"Nearly two minutes after the attack one man comes over to try and help. Everyone else just stands and watches. A short time later another woman, and then another man. Those three should be commended. The rest of the people on that train should be plagued with shame and guilt for the rest of their lives. But I doubt they'll ever give it a second thought."

Matt Walsh's tweet has since gone viral, with over 1 million views and 1K comments. Some netizens called it a race war, noting that most of the people surrounding Iryna at the time of her stabbing were Black. Meanwhile, others pointed out that it was a classic example of the Bystander Effect.

​For the unversed, Iryna Zarutska was a Ukrainian refugee who had arrived in the US earlier in 2025 to escape the war waging on in her homeland and have a fresh beginning. 

Zarutska was working at a pizzeria in Charlotte, and had onboarded the train to return home to her uncle and aunty following her shift when she was stabbed by Decarlos Brown last month.

Investigators working on the stabbing case have since uncovered that both Brown and Zarutska were strangers to each other before the incident, and that his attack was completely random. 

Brown, who was arrested at the murder scene and charged with first-degree murder, was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.

He has had many run-ins with the law enforcement in the last 15 years, having been arrested at least 14 times, and even served a five-year prison sentence in the past. 

​Zepeddies Pizzeria wrote a statement about Iryna Zarutska following her death

This is the part of the Iryna Zarutska murder that they didn't want you to see. pic.twitter.com/uUTiBLqge5

— The General (@1776General_) September 10, 2025

Following the death of Iryna Zarutska, Zepeddies Pizzeria wrote a heartfelt statement about her, saying:

"We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend. Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief."

The pizzeria, which is situated at a short distance from the Charlotte rail trail station, also lighted a candle for Zarutska on the day she passed away, that has been left burning in her memory.

Lonnie - a family friend of the 23-year-old - also spoke about Iryna, calling her "helpful," "supportive," and "a sweetheart."

Decarlos Brown has received a federal indictment over Iryna Zarutska's stabbing on Tuesday, September 9.