In August 2025, Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train in broad daylight. She was quietly sitting alone. The attack came without warning, provocation, or protection.

There were no transit officers on board, no one to intervene, and no immediate help. Iryna died on the train floor—just months after escaping war in Ukraine in search of safety in America.

We can’t bring her back. But we can make sure this never happens again.

We, the undersigned, call on the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, and Congress to:

• Establish a national minimum standard for public transit safety, including funding for on-board security presence on all major rail and light rail systems
• Create a federal grant program to help local transit agencies install real-time alert systems, panic buttons, and visible safety signage
• Require incident response protocols and basic staff training for handling violent acts on board
• Fund pilot programs for mental health intervention and behavioral crisis teams in high-risk transit systems.

Every person—commuter, tourist, student, or refugee—deserves to ride a train or bus without fearing for their life.

We cannot wait for the next tragedy. The federal government must act now to support local transit systems and protect the lives of their passengers.