A newly released transit video, showing the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte, N.C., light rail train, has prompted the FBI and DOT to investigate.

The Charlotte Area Transit System released a video, showing last month's deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian woman on board one of the city's light rail trains. On Monday, the Department of Transportation announced it would investigate the murder and consider withholding federal funding until safety is improved. Photo by Charlotte Area Transit System UPI

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A recently released transit video, showing last month's deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on board a Charlotte, N.C., light rail train, has prompted the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate her murder and consider withholding federal funds until public safety is improved.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Monday night his department "will be investigating Charlotte over its failure to protect Iryna Zarutska."

"If mayors can't keep their trains and buses safe, they don't deserve the taxpayers' money," Duffy wrote in a post on X. "Murders on public transit like that of Iryna Zarutska should never be allowed to happen again."

Zarutska, 23, had moved to Charlotte from Ukraine and was murdered on Aug. 22, while riding the city's LYNX Blue Line. Over the weekend, the Charlotte Area Transit System released a video of her killing.

The video appears to show Decarlos Brown, 34, wearing a red hoodie as he sits behind Zarutska, who was looking at her phone after leaving work at a nearby pizza shop. Minutes later, the man is seen standing up before stabbing Zarutska repeatedly as horrified passengers look on. Brown was arrested at a light rail station and has been charged with first-degree murder.

Duffy vowed to conduct a thorough investigation, starting Tuesday, and said he would consider withholding federal transportation dollars based on the outcome of that investigation.

"Your federal tax dollars go to fund a lot of these transit systems across the country," Duffy told Fox News. "And we have to look at them and say, 'Well, maybe it's appropriate that we start pulling some of that money back because I don't think the American taxpayer wants to pay for the homelessness and criminal element that harm little 23-year-old girls like this who are going home from work.'"

The Charlotte Area Transit System is slated to receive $38.29 million in federal grants this fiscal year.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles issued a statement Monday, calling the attack a "tragic failure by the courts and magistrates."

Brown had 14 previous court cases and was sentenced to six years in prison in 2015 for a robbery with a dangerous weapon.

"Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety. We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders," Lyles said, as she announced safety changes to light rail.

"Effective immediately, CATS security personnel will be re-deployed for a stronger presence on Blue Line platforms and to increase fare enforcement. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will also be increasing patrols at key areas across the transit system," Lyles added after President Donald Trump called the attack "horrific" in a lengthy post on Truth Social.

FBI Director Kash Patel said, "The FBI has been investigating the Charlotte train murder from day one. Stay tuned."