Mural depicting slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska appears in New York

In Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, a mural has been created in honor of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was killed in August 2025 at a light rail station in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

That is according to New York Post, Ukrinform reports.

The three-story painting was installed on an apartment building in a trendy section of Bushwick a few weeks ago.

The artwork was created on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Evergreen Street. The mural was painted by Connecticut-based artist Ben Keller, known for his memorial projects dedicated to victims of violent crimes.

Funding for the mural was provided by conservative tech CEO Eoghan McCabe ($500,000) and businessman Elon Musk ($1 million). An additional $200,000 was raised from smaller donors.

"I started this campaign to make sure that the story of Iryna does not disappear. Her murder is at the nexus of many issues plaguing American society. For example, one is the progressive approach to crime," Keller told New York Post.

Local residents of Bushwick largely welcomed the mural, stressing that the story of the Ukrainian refugee must not be forgotten.

"What a lovely tribute to a beautiful girl and a beautiful life! RIP Iryna!! … I.m so sorry the USA failed you!" said a user named Mary Signorino on a Facebook post.

As was previously reported, 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska arrived in the United States as a refugee in search of safety. She was killed in late August on a train at a railway station in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Law enforcement officials determined that the murder was committed by 34-year-old homeless man Decarlos Brown. According to court documents, Brown had been arrested several times since 2011 on charges including theft, armed robbery, and making threats.