Another stabbing on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina, has drawn the attention of President Trump amid his administration's crackdown on immigration.
The incident occurred on Friday after 33-year-old Oscar Solarzano allegedly entered the Charlotte Area Transit System's Blue Line light rail train and got into an argument with another passenger, according to authorities. The victim was in critical but stable condition, police said.
"It does not appear this was a random act of violence, but an altercation between two individuals that escalated," a transit spokesperson said in a statement.
Mr. Trump on Saturday posted to Truth Social, reacting to the incident, "Another stabbing by an Illegal Migrant in Charlotte, North Carolina. What's going on in Charlotte? Democrats are destroying it, like everything else, piece by piece!!!"
Solarzano was arrested nearby by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police on Friday evening and taken into custody, officials said. In court records from Solarzano's release hearing, a court appearance where a judge determines if a suspect can leave jail before trial, a magistrate noted Solarzano is undocumented and "has been deported previously."
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin on Saturday said Solarzano is being charged with attempted first-degree murder "after he stabbed a victim with a large knife." She also confirmed that Solarzano had been removed from the U.S. twice.
Solarzano was ordered to remain in jail, according to court documents. It's unclear whether he has entered a plea.
Before federal immigration authorities descended on Charlotte last month as part of the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign, Mr. Trump was among those who raised concerns about public safety in the city following the deadly stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on the light rail in August.
Decarlos Brown Jr., a U.S. citizen with a history of mental illness, was arrested for the killing. He had been arrested more than a dozen times and was released earlier this year by a magistrate on a misdemeanor count without any bond. The death led North Carolina lawmakers to approve a criminal justice package dubbed "Iryna's Law," limiting bail and seeking to ensure more defendants undergo mental health evaluations.
In a statement on Saturday, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, who opposed Mr. Trump sending federal agents to the city, said the city has "invested heavily" in public safety efforts in light of recent incidents.
"There are several aspects of public safety that are outside of the city's jurisdiction, including immigration policy and enforcement, but we will continue to focus on public safety and ensuring a safe and vibrant community," Lyles said.
Despite local opposition and Charlotte's declining crime rates, Trump administration officials targeted the Democrat-run city, saying it was primarily focused on apprehending immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who also had criminal histories and posed a threat to public safety.
According to an internal Department of Homeland Security document obtained by CBS News last month, fewer than one-third of the individuals arrested by Border Patrol during the Trump administration's recent immigration enforcement crackdown in Charlotte were classified as criminals.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez contributed to this report.
