Man Charged After Critical Stabbing On Charlotte Commuter Train — Second Knife Attack In Months

Charlotte, N.C.

Authorities have charged a 33-year-old man after a passenger was critically wounded in a stabbing on a Charlotte commuter train on Friday afternoon — the second high-profile knife attack on the city’s transit system in recent months.

Suspect and charges: Charlotte-Mecklenburg police identified the suspect as Oscar Solarzano, 33. He faces charges including attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and related offenses after officers say he used a large knife during the incident.

Victim condition: Police said the victim suffered a stab wound and was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Custody and court status: Solarzano was being held without bond. A magistrate judge noted in a court filing that Solarzano is in the United States illegally and had previously been deported. He was scheduled to appear in Mecklenburg County District Court for a hearing.

Circumstances: An arrest warrant filed in state court says Solarzano appeared intoxicated and was slurring his words when he confronted the victim and challenged them to a fight, according to police. Online court and jail records did not list an attorney for Solarzano at the time of the report. Police said the investigation remains active.

Broader context: The attack comes less than four months after a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, was killed in an apparently random stabbing aboard a Charlotte commuter train. Relatives said Zarutska had been sheltering in a bomb shelter in Ukraine before traveling to the U.S. to escape the war. Decarlos Brown Jr. has been charged with first-degree murder in the state case and was indicted in federal court on a charge alleging causing death on a mass transportation system.

Political and community reaction: Zarutska’s death and the more recent attack prompted debate over transit safety and immigration enforcement. In November, the Trump administration increased immigration enforcement activity in Charlotte; city officials said the action produced "unnecessary fear and uncertainty." On Saturday, President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account linking the latest stabbing to illegal immigration and criticizing local officials.

Next steps: Police continue to investigate the Friday attack and officials said they will release updates as the case proceeds through the courts.