Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing Suspect Has Prior Convictions in NJ and FL

Oscar Solarzano, the suspect in a stabbing on Charlotte’s light rail on December 5, has a criminal history that includes prior convictions in New Jersey and Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Solarzano now faces attempted first-degree murder charges after police say he stabbed fellow passenger Kenyon Dobie following an argument on the train. Authorities noted that Solarzano had previously been banned from riding the light rail.

Solarzano is an undocumented immigrant who has been deported from the U.S. twice, in 2018 and 2021. DHS records also indicate he has faced multiple charges outside North Carolina over the past decade. In 2009, the Passaic Police Department in New Jersey charged him with simple assault and resisting arrest. In 2012, Union City authorities charged him with robbery causing bodily injury, a case that resulted in a conviction through Hudson County Drug Court the following year.

Florida authorities also filed multiple charges against Solarzano. In 2016, he was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and destroying evidence in Hillsborough County. The following year, he faced additional charges including resisting an officer, providing false identification, being a fugitive, and loitering or prowling. DHS records show he was resentenced for his 2012 robbery conviction in 2017 and served three years in prison.

The December 5 incident in Charlotte follows a previous fatal attack on the city’s light rail earlier this year, when DeCarlos Brown Jr. was charged with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. That killing drew widespread national attention and outrage.

Authorities continue to investigate the recent stabbing as Solarzano awaits trial, with prosecutors emphasizing his prior criminal history as part of their case.

Image: Department of Homeland Security