Escaping a war only to be stabbed to death on a train halfway across the world ... that's the story of Iryna Zarutska. Left-wing media claims the problem isn't crime, but conservatives noticing the crime.
Just a couple of states south, another random act of violence claimed a woman's life on Saturday.
Before we get into the details, don't forget to share this newsletter with your friends and family. If you've received today's edition that way, you can support me by subscribing HERE.
A 59-year-old retired veterinary professor got into her red F-150 pickup truck Saturday morning and drove to Kiesel Park in Auburn, Alabama. She was taking her dog for a walk on the 2.25-mile park trail. It was a regular part of Dr. Julie Schnuelle's routine and something she looked forward to every week, friends and family said.
Kiesel Park is the city's largest green space. Photos online show a gazebo, children's play equipment, a historic home in the Greek Revival style, a garden, and a pond. It's a five-minute drive from Auburn University and is often used for weddings.
Schnuelle, who taught at Auburn for nearly two decades and was a well-respected member of the veterinary community, would not return home that day.
Instead, police found her body in a nearby wooded area around 2:07 p.m. She was apparently stabbed to death, her truck stolen and abandoned five miles away near a local pumpkin patch.
The following morning, a caller alerted police to a suspicious person near the park. Police located Harold Rashad Dabney III, and were led to believe he had murdered Dr. Schnuelle. He has been charged with capital murder.
Unsurprisingly, this was not Dabney's first encounter with police. Auburn officers had previously charged him with misdemeanor obstruction for failing to provide his address to law enforcement officers.
Two years earlier, he ran afoul of the law in Virginia Beach. Police were called to a suspicious vehicle and found Dabney asleep inside. They investigated and found an illegal firearm. Dabney was charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun, altering or removing the serial number on a firearm, unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon, trespassing, and public intoxication. He received unsupervised probation and a fine.
While Dabney's criminal history is not as serious, the case is reminiscent of the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. Zarutska was randomly stabbed to death in late August on a train in Charlotte, the surveillance video of which went viral. Her accused attacker, Decarlos Brown, had 14 prior arrests, including for felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and assault. He had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Two women doing nothing out of the ordinary whose lives were cut short by criminals.
These stories have become all too common: Rachel Morin murdered by a criminal illegal while on a hike. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym killed by stray gunfire in a targeted shooting while enjoying a night out in D.C. Laken Riley murdered by a criminal illegal while jogging near campus. Larisha Sharell Thompson was driving in her car when she was shot and killed by six illegal immigrants looking to steal her vehicle and rob a convenience store. Three people killed in Manhattan in broad daylight after a mentally disturbed individual with a lengthy criminal history went on a stabbing spree.
Random acts of violence used to be shocking. After the serial killer scourge of the '70s and '80s, we came to accept that you were most likely to be hurt or killed by someone you knew or loved. There were things we could do to avoid becoming victims of a stranger: avoid walking alone late at night, don't accept rides from people you don't know, watch your drink at the bar, avoid high-risk lifestyles. But in today's world, simply riding the train home from work or taking your dog for a walk can be a death sentence.
How people feel about crime is more than just statistics (although there are plenty that cut against the left-wing cry that crime is going down). It's whether people feel safe going about their daily lives. It's whether you see a grisly story on the news and think, "Wow, that could be me." It's whether you see a heinous murder and realize it could have been prevented.
That's what Democrats don't get about crime. People don't want to hear that getting stabbed in the neck during your commute is just a normal part of city life. They want to know how the hell their political leaders are going to prevent them from becoming the next Dr. Julie Schnuelle or Iryna Zarutska.
Trump is one of the few politicians telling Americans that he is listening...
Trump Speaks Out On Video Of Ukrainian Refugee Being Stabbed On Metro In Charlotte
--
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is standing on business ... again:
'I'm Gonna Punch You In Your F*cking Face': Private Dinner With Trump Administration Turns Very Feisty
--
The stark difference in cultural values between Gen Z Trump voters and Harris voters shows why politics is becoming so divisive: