Honduran man is held without bond in North Carolina train stabbing that drew comments from Trump

Honduran Man Held Without Bond in Charlotte Train Stabbing

A Honduran man appeared in a North Carolina court Monday, ordered held without bond for allegedly stabbing a passenger on Charlotte’s light rail system—an incident that quickly became embroiled in national immigration debates.

Oscar Solarzano, 33, faces charges of attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon after authorities say he stabbed 24-year-old Kenyon Kareem Dobie in the chest during an altercation Friday on Charlotte’s Blue Line train. Solarzano, appearing via video link in an orange jumpsuit, listened impassively as a translator read the charges before Mecklenburg County District Judge Keith Smith scheduled his next hearing for December 30.

Court proceedings revealed Solarzano had previously been banned from Charlotte Area Transit Service (CATS) property in October. CATS spokesman Brett Baldeck confirmed the ban but provided no additional details, noting that “our security team is looking into this now.” Records list Solarzano’s address as a local homeless shelter.

The Department of Homeland Security reports Solarzano, also known as Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, has been deported twice and has previous convictions for robbery and illegal reentry. DHS has lodged a detainer with local authorities following his arrest. The agency recently conducted immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte and around Raleigh, the state capital.

The victim, Dobie, told local media outlet WRAL that he confronted Solarzano for allegedly harassing an elderly woman on the train. “I guess it’s better off that it happened to me and not an older person,” Dobie said. In a TikTok post from his hospital room, Dobie added, “I wasn’t trying to be a macho man. But what I won’t allow is you to attack random people for no reason, especially the elderly.”

This is the second serious stabbing incident on Charlotte’s light rail system in recent months. In August, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed while riding a CATS train. Zarutska had been living in a bomb shelter in Ukraine before coming to the U.S. to escape the war. Decarlos Brown Jr. faces state charges of first-degree murder and federal charges of causing death on a mass transportation system in that case.

Both attacks have drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump citing Friday’s incident on his Truth Social platform. “Another stabbing by an Illegal Migrant in Charlotte, North Carolina,” Trump wrote. “What’s going on in Charlotte? Democrats are destroying it, like everything else, piece by piece!!!”

The repeated incidents have put pressure on Charlotte officials to address public transit safety. Mayor Vi Lyles defended the city’s efforts, noting, “We have invested heavily in increasing security on our transit system and CMPD has been proactive in increasing its presence across our city, including announcing a new multi-agency effort this week.” She added that certain aspects of public safety, including immigration policy and enforcement, fall outside the city’s jurisdiction.

CATS interim CEO Brent Cagle pointed to enhanced security measures implemented since Zarutska’s death, including additional off-duty police officers, private security personnel, and new technology. “We will continue to work with our partners at CMPD as well as our private security team to ensure everyone rides appropriately on public transit,” Cagle said. “We will not compromise on the safety of our customers and employees.”

The incidents highlight ongoing tensions surrounding public safety, immigration enforcement, and transit security in growing urban areas. Charlotte’s light rail system, which serves as a vital transportation artery for the city’s expanding population, has become an unexpected flashpoint in larger national debates about crime and immigration policy.

As the case proceeds through the court system, local officials face mounting pressure to restore public confidence in the safety of the city’s transit network while navigating the politically charged intersection of public safety and immigration enforcement.