The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has identified 33-year-old Oscar Solarzano as the suspect in a light rail stabbing, months after a separate high-profile attack on the same transit system. Police confirmed to Newsweek via email that he faces five charges, including attempted first-degree murder.
Solarzano’s arrest has fueled renewed anger online over his immigration status, including criticism from President Donald Trump, who called him an “illegal migrant” in a Truth Social post. A Mecklenburg District Court document obtained by Newsweek states that Solarzano is in the country illegally and has previously been deported.
Why the Case Is Drawing Attention
The attack occurred just four months after 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was stabbed and killed on a Blue Line train in Charlotte. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and 34-year-old suspect Decarlos Brown Jr has been charged with her murder.
Debate over Solarzano’s immigration status also comes on the heels of Operation Charlotte’s Web, a major enforcement action carried out by federal immigration agents in mid-November that sparked pushback from residents and local leaders…