A man charged with attempted first-degree murder following a violent stabbing on a Charlotte transit line Friday night had been deported from the United States on at least two prior occasions, federal authorities have confirmed.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) announced Saturday that Oscar Solarzano, 33, faces five charges, including attempted first-degree murder, after allegedly stabbing Kenyon Dobie in the chest. The attack occurred on the Lynx Blue Line, the same light rail system where a Ukrainian refugee was fatally stabbed just months ago.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Solarzano is a Honduran national with a significant history of immigration enforcement encounters. DHS officials confirmed to Fox News that Solarzano was first deported in 2018. He reportedly re-entered the country illegally three years later and was deported a second time. At an unspecified time following that removal, he entered the U.S. again.
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Magistrate Rebecca Howell noted Solarzano’s illegal status during court proceedings, citing paperwork that indicated he had been deported previously. Consequently, Howell ordered him to be held without bond. Court records obtained by WSOC-TV indicate Solarzano has a prior criminal history in the U.S., including arrests for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
CMPD officers apprehended Solarzano shortly after the incident on Friday. Following an interview with detectives, he was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. The victim, Kenyon Dobie, was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries but is reported to be in stable condition.
Renewed Concerns Over Transit Safety
The stabbing has reignited concerns regarding safety on Charlotte’s public transportation network, specifically the Lynx Blue Line. In August, the community was shaken by the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee who was killed on the same transit line.
That tragedy led to the creation of “Iryna’s Law,” which went into effect in North Carolina on Dec. 1. The legislation increases penalties for crimes committed on public transit and tightens rules regarding pretrial release for repeat offenders.
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Political Fallout
The suspect’s immigration status has drawn sharp criticism from state and federal officials, sparking debate over local and national enforcement policies.
Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), whose district covers parts of Charlotte, issued a statement linking the attack to what he described as a failure to confront a “violent crime epidemic.”
“Oscar Solarzano was previously deported and then illegally entered our country AGAIN,” Harris wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Saturday. “While families beg for safety and police call for backup, the Left is too busy protesting ICE for daring to remove illegal aliens from our streets.”
Former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, a candidate for North Carolina’s 2026 Senate seat, directed criticism toward former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, arguing that past vetoes of legislation requiring cooperation with ICE left residents vulnerable. “Cooper created a revolving door for violent criminals,” Whatley stated.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also commented on the incident, questioning local leadership’s response to ongoing transit violence. “Apparently, the death of Iryna Zarutska wasn’t enough,” Duffy wrote.
The arrest comes amidst a focused federal enforcement effort in the region. On Nov. 15, DHS launched “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” an initiative targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. As of early December, the operation has resulted in over 400 arrests.
Solarzano is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday morning.
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