Suspect Arrested After Stabbing On Charlotte LYNX Blue Line; Immigration, Transit Safety Questions Rekindled

Charlotte authorities arrested a 33-year-old man after a Friday evening stabbing on the LYNX Blue Line that left a rider in critical but stable condition and renewed debate over transit safety and immigration enforcement.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officers responded to a reported stabbing near the light rail stop at 25th Street and North Brevard Street at about 4:50 p.m. The victim was transported to a local hospital and remains in critical but stable condition, police said.

Suspect Apprehended

Officers quickly took 33-year-old Oscar Solarzano into custody at the scene, interviewed him, and later transferred him to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. According to the arrest warrant, Solarzano allegedly attacked the victim with a "large fixed blade knife," appeared intoxicated, and had been shouting and cursing at other passengers before the altercation escalated.

Solarzano faces multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon, and being intoxicated and disruptive. Court records note prior removals from the United States; a magistrate referenced that Solarzano had been deported previously. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.

Witness Account

A witness identified by local media as Kenyon Dobie said he saw Solarzano yelling at an older woman and intervened. In a TikTok post quoted by WRAL, Dobie said, "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." CNN has reached out for additional comment.

Immigration And Political Reaction

The incident drew national political attention. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social highlighting the suspect’s immigration history and asking, "What’s going on with Charlotte?" Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had lodged a detainer for Solarzano, who is from Honduras. According to DHS, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal in 2018 and he was deported; he was removed again after entering the U.S. illegally in 2021 and is reported to have re-entered a third time at an unknown date and location.

CNN is attempting to determine whether Solarzano has retained an attorney.

City Response And Transit Safety Measures

The stabbing comes as Charlotte rolled out a targeted policing plan. Two days before the attack, the city launched Operation Safe Season to increase police presence and enforcement in neighborhoods with frequent violence. Estella Patterson was sworn in the same day as Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s new police chief.

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) said on social media that the incident began as a verbal altercation that escalated to a stabbing. CATS noted steps taken since August, including deploying additional off-duty CMPD officers, private security personnel contracted through Professional Security Services, and new technology and safety-reporting tools. The contractor says it has reached full staffing on the LYNX Blue Line and is working alongside 24 off-duty CMPD officers.

Mayor Vi Lyles said the city has invested heavily in transit security and that many aspects of public safety, such as federal immigration policy, fall outside municipal control. "We will continue to focus on public safety and ensuring a safe and vibrant community," she said.

Context: Earlier Fatal Stabbing On Same Line

The incident revived concerns stemming from the August fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on the same LYNX Blue Line. That attack drew national attention and was cited by federal and political figures in debates about crime in U.S. cities. The suspect in that earlier case has been charged with first-degree murder and has a history of arrests; his defense has raised questions about mental health and competency to stand trial.

Local transit officials and media have reported a decline in ridership on the LYNX Blue Line: September ridership dropped more than 10% year-over-year, and Federal Transit Administration figures showed an 8% decline in light rail ridership nationwide in October.

Authorities and transit officials continue investigating the Friday stabbing. CNN reporters Emma Tucker and Dianne Gallagher contributed to reporting on this story.