RALEIGH — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released body cam footage of officer interactions with Decarlos Brown Jr. related to misuse of the 911 call system.
Brown is accused of murdering Iryna Zarutska on the city’s light rail system in August. He has been charged with first-degree murder for the stabbing death of Zarutska and was federally indicted for “Violence Against a Railroad Carrier and Mass Transportation System Resulting in Death.”
Brown’s federal indictment came Oct. 22, exactly two months after Zarutska’s murder. He is currently being held without bond.
The court-ordered release of the footage was included in a press release by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD) on Nov. 25. The eight video clips span two 911 calls made by Brown on Jan. 19.
The first call occurred at approximately 9:22 p.m., with CMPD officers responding to a welfare check in the 200 block of Hawthorne Lane after Brown, 34, called 911.
According to the footage, Brown reported that he believed a “man-made material” had been placed inside his body and was controlling his movements, and he wanted police to investigate.
During the 28-minute interaction, officers tried to deescalate the situation and repeatedly told Brown to go to a hospital for a medical evaluation. Brown became upset when officers declined to investigate his claims.
While officers were still on the scene, Brown called 911 a second time, demanding additional officers respond to investigate the same concerns. He was then arrested and charged with misuse of the 911 system.
“An involuntary commitment (IVC) was not obtained in this incident, as Brown did not express intent to harm himself or others,” CMPD’s press release states. “An IVC is a legal process that allows an individual to be placed in a treatment facility, regardless of their willingness to go. This process is only pursued when a person experiencing a mental health crisis indicates they may pose a danger to themselves or others.”
CMPD’s Community Policing Crisis Response Team had responded to three similar calls in 2024 made by Brown that also referenced a “man-made material.” According to CMPD, services and assistance were offered during those instances, but Brown refused.
