Conservatives are justifiably furious following the brutal murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska by career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr. in Charlotte, North Carolina.
We recognize that this tragedy was the result of a terrible policy choice. The perpetrator had over a dozen prior arrests for assault, breaking and entering, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and was even arrested as recently as June for misusing 911 services due to delusional beliefs. Brown should have been in prison or in a mental institution, but the Democrats who govern Charlotte prioritized social justice over public safety.
Unfortunately, Charlotte’s city council is dominated by Democrats 9-2, and former Vice President Kamala Harris won Mecklenburg County by 33 points in 2024. Sadly, the Left has a stranglehold on most major cities. It has spent decades installing pro-crime district attorneys to ensure that violent criminals get off easy.
Policy reform may be an arduous process, but there are simple steps that can be taken to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the predation of violent offenders, and it all starts with firearm ownership.
Twenty-nine states have enacted constitutional carry, meaning over half of the American population no longer needs a permission slip from the government to exercise their God-given right to self-defense. Fifteen states, including North Carolina, are “shall-issue” states, meaning if an applicant meets certain criteria, the state will issue a concealed carry permit. Only Hawaii, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island fall into the “may issue” category, meaning the state can subjectively deny citizens their Second Amendment rights.
Armed citizens save lives. Data from the Crime Prevention Research Center shows that armed citizens prevent or end more mass shooting events than the police. A study by Cramer & Burnett found that tens of thousands of crimes are prevented every year by armed citizens, and that in areas that allow concealed carry, defensive gun use increases while crime and crime attempts decrease. According to the National Rifle Association, there are around 2.5 million defensive uses of firearms per year, and in those cases, 15.7% of citizens say the use of their weapon “almost certainly” saved their lives. As firearm ownership increases, crime falls. Violent crime, including gun-related crime, fell in six of Ohio’s eight major cities after the adoption of constitutional carry in 2022.
Unfortunately, a large percentage of violent crime, and almost all mass-shooting events, occur in gun-free zones. Most public transit, like the Charlotte train where Iryna Zarutska was murdered, does not allow citizens to carry guns. Mass boycotts could push politicians to change these policies. Criminals are far less likely to offend when they fear a decisive and lethal response from their would-be victims.
If an armed citizen had been on that train with Decarlos Brown Jr. and Iryna Zarutska, the latter might still be alive.
There are excellent firearms instructors and gun ranges all over the country. If you are worried about the rise of violent crime in your area, I strongly recommend you purchase a gun, train with it, learn the gun laws of your state and city, and carry daily.
Brady Leonard (@bradyleonard) is a musician, political strategist, and host of The No Gimmicks Podcast.
