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Recently, another stabbing incident unfolded on Charlotte’s light rail system, marking a troubling pattern of violence. This latest episode happened last Friday night and involved a confrontation between a passenger and a man who reportedly boarded the train in a drunken and erratic state.
The suspect, 33-year-old Oscar Solarzano, is now in police custody without the possibility of bail. Solarzano, who is an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, faces numerous charges, including attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have also issued a detainer for his arrest.
This incident echoes a tragedy from four months ago when 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed on the same light rail train. The alleged attacker, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless man with a history of offenses, brought national scrutiny to the city. This comes amid broader efforts by the previous Trump administration to address violent crime in Democrat-led urban areas.
The crime comes just four months after 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death aboard the light rail train, allegedly by 34-year-old homeless man and repeat offender Decarlos Brown Jr, in a case that brought national attention to our Democrat-run city amid a crackdown on violent crime by the Trump administration.