Accused light rail stabber was already banned from CATS at the time of the alleged attack

Kaci Jones,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A twice deported immigrant accused of stabbing a man on the Blue Line Light Rail Train has a history of bringing weapons on the transit system. Oscar Solarzano was issued a citation for having a knife on a light rail platform in October. Court records show CATS banned him from their property at the time.

Friday evening Solarzano was back on the Blue Line where witnesses say he started harassing passengers before he picked a fight with Kenyon Dobie and stabbed him in the chest.

“This raises serious concerns about riders safety, because random acts of violence like this creates anxiety and fear, and it is our responsibility to address that fear head on,” Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera said.

There was no security on the train at the time of the stabbing. City council vowed to increase police and focus on fare enforcement after Iryna Zarutska was killed on the light rail back in August.

“We know that fare enforcement is not just about revenue, it is about safety,” Councilwoman Ajmera said. “When rules are not enforced, it can allow disruptive behavior to continue or to continue to escalate.”

The victim, Kenyon Dobie wrote on GoFundMe that he has a tube running through his chest to pump blood out of his lungs.

“The burden of violent crimes should not have to fall on bystanders who likely become traumatized by these incidents,” A UNC Charlotte student said speaking to Charlotte city leaders.

Charlotte City Council approved an $18 million dollar contract with Professional Police Service to secure the transit system.

“I would say to you that it takes a lot of really real work to determine how we can be better and how we can do this and, and it’s been a, a very difficult time for our city,” Mayor Vi Lyles said.

Charlotte City Council voted Monday night to spend $3.4 million dollars to hire a Texas based PR firm to improve the public perception of transit in the Queen City. This was already on the agenda before Friday’s stabbing.