By Matija Šerić
Violent deaths, such as murders, represent the most dramatic events in the life of any family, but also in the broader community. When these killings occur for political, social, cultural, or other reasons, they can have far-reaching consequences for entire nations and states. History provides striking examples: the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) in 1963, and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. Each of these assassinations significantly influenced the course of American history.
The summer of 2025 will be remembered in history for two horrific crimes. Although the victims were not members of the American political elite, they were individuals who symbolized the core values on which America was built. On August 22, Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who had fled the Russian invasion for safety in the U.S., was brutally murdered. On September 10, a carefully planned assassination was carried out against Trump-aligned right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Both cases open a potential Pandora’s box, after which nothing will be the same.
The Murderer on the Train
Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was killed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, by criminal and mentally ill African American DeCarlos Brown Jr. The murder occurred for no apparent reason. Zarutska sat in a seat in front of Brown, typing on her phone. After a few minutes, Brown pulled out a knife and stabbed the innocent victim multiple times in the neck, causing her to bleed to death. For the first minute and a half, none of the passengers reacted, even though the train was crowded.
Although Brown later claimed that he killed Zarutska because he believed she could read his mind, the murder also carries elements of racial motivation, as he allegedly said before the attack: “I have this white girl.” The crime is a stark example of the inefficiency of the U.S. justice system and unresolved racial issues.
The 34-year-old Brown had a long criminal record, having been arrested 14 times and serving five years in prison for an armed robbery committed 11 years ago. Five months after his release, in early 2021, he was arrested for attacking his own sister. Over time, he developed mental illness, suffering from schizophrenia, and earlier this year, he made unfounded 911 calls. Brown has been charged with a federal crime and is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Death of Iryna Zarutska
The Broader Context of Zarutska’s Murder
Had the U.S. justice system done its job, Brown would either have been in prison or, more likely, receiving treatment in a mental health facility. Someone arrested 14 times clearly has severe psychological problems. The U.S. justice system failed in this case, as it has many times before. American courts are often inefficient and can be influenced by bias depending on the defendant’s socio-economic status, reputation, and background. Juries may favor defendants of certain racial or economic backgrounds while being hostile to those from different backgrounds or lifestyles. In some cases, jurors are even susceptible to bribery. Such failures, resulting in new violent crimes, further erode public trust in the justice system and deepen social divisions.
In addition to judicial shortcomings, Brown’s act was clearly influenced by his racism toward white people. While mentally ill, it is likely that his hostility toward whites pushed him toward this violent crime. He had no idea that Zarutska was Ukrainian rather than American. Yet racial issues in America remain significant. Black-on-white racism is often a taboo topic, but it exists.
Some African Americans’ resentment toward whites is primarily driven by economic factors—the perception that white Americans live better, have better access to elite schools, universities, and jobs, and reside in more developed urban and suburban areas. Historical associations also play a role. Many African Americans remain bitter about slavery, segregation, and long-standing discrimination that persisted into the 20th century. Awareness of historical injustice can transform into generalized hatred toward white people. Narratives framing “white people as evil” are sometimes informally promoted in American society, from schools and universities to the media.
The Campus Shooter
Charlie Kirk was murdered for political reasons by radical left-wing activist Tyler Robinson. The assassination took place from the rooftop of the Utah State University campus while Kirk was giving a speech during his American Comeback Tour. Robinson used a German Mauser M 98 rifle.
Robinson was an academically promising young man with a 4.0 GPA in high school, and Utah State University had offered him a four-year scholarship. Nevertheless, he dropped out and gravitated toward radicalism. He appears to have been associated with the American Antifa, leaving their typical slogans at the crime scene. Interestingly, the Antifa messages he used had previously been popularized through video games like Helldivers 2 and Far Cry 6, as well as series and films.
Notably, Robinson came from a family that strongly supported Trump, yet he developed leftist views, reflecting a pattern among many young Americans who lean more liberal than their conservative parents. A shy gamer who never publicly engaged in politics or voted, Robinson was nevertheless motivated by political radicalization to assassinate Trump’s aide. He has been arrested and faces severe penalties if proven guilty.
Death of Charlie Kirk
The Broader Context of Kirk’s Murder
The assassination of a right-wing influencer highlights the deep political divisions within American society. Liberals (Democrats) and conservatives (Republicans) have clashed intensely for the past five decades over key issues, from gun rights, legalizing recreational drugs, abortion, immigration policy, healthcare, taxation, and climate change, to education reform, LGBTQ+ rights, and America’s role in global affairs.
The American society has become highly polarized. Liberals consume media like MSNBC, The New York Times, and HuffPost, while conservatives follow Fox News, Newsmax, and The Daily Wire. In 2020, 58% of Americans lived in “landslide districts,” where either the Republican or Democratic Party won convincingly. Fifty years ago, this figure was only 27%. The result is political and social segmentation that fosters further radicalization.
Tolerance for opposing views has eroded. Where free speech, expression, and debate once thrived—principles Kirk championed—many liberals now see no place for dialogue with conservatives, whom they demonize. Some even call for banning the Republican Party or suppressing conservative activism. The failed 2017 attempt to assassinate Republican Senator Steve Scalise by James T. Hodgkinson, an ardent Bernie Sanders supporter, mirrors the mindset of Robinson.
A Shaken America
Inefficient justice, racism, and radical political polarization were the foundations of the murders of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska. Despite being one of the most successful countries in history, the United States faces growing internal problems. It could be argued that America was more stable in the 1980s and 1990s than it is today. Constant divides between liberals and conservatives have not only created separate “blue” and “red” states and districts but also fueled street violence, as seen in recent Black Lives Matter protests and radical right-wing demonstrations, as well as pro- and anti-Palestinian rallies.
Failed assassination attempts on Donald Trump, combined with the successful killing of Kirk, highlight the urgency for change. Republicans and Democrats must “lower the temperature,” or the country risks sliding into unrest that could escalate into an American Civil War 2.0. In this context, the two brutal murders of the summer of 2025 may be the opening chapter of a potentially seismic and unwanted transformation.
