CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- One day after Charlotte’s municipal primary election, state and county Republicans are blaming Democrats and rhetoric for the murder of Iryna Zarutska on the light rail last month.

GOP leaders gathered at a station just north of Uptown Wednesday morning, arguing that Democrats are ultimately to blame for Iryna’s death.

“We are saddened to have to come here today to talk about the failures, the ongoing failures of Charlotte leadership and the Democrat policies that allowed that senseless and horrific murder to occur,” said NC GOP Chair Jason Simmons.

Simmons told reporters that liberal rhetoric and policy positions held by elected Democrats allowed for Zarutska’s alleged killer, who had a rap sheet and was awaiting a mental health evaluation, to be ou

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