Charlotte bus stabbing suspect arrested 15 times in 3 years, freed weeks before attack

FIRST ON FOX: The antheral charged successful a Charlotte autobus stabbing past week was successful and retired of jailhouse doubly this twelvemonth — astir precocious freed connected enslaved successful October — earlier allegedly knifing different antheral successful the thorax during a metropolis autobus ride, jailhouse records show.

James Calvin Bennett, 57, was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail doubly this twelvemonth earlier his latest apprehension connected Nov. 7 connected charges of attempted first-degree murder, battle with a deadly limb and indecent exposure.

The victim, identified arsenic Jose "Frenchie" Mulongo, astir died from aggregate stab wounds, including 1 conscionable to the near of his heart, according to a constabulary affidavit.

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Bennett's booking photos from November, September and May 2025. Overall, he's been arrested 15 times going backmost to 2022, tribunal records show. (iStock, Mecklenburg County Jail)

The autobus operator recognized Bennett arsenic a stateless antheral who frequented shelters on her way and told constabulary helium stalked Mulongo up and down the autobus earlier allegedly stabbing him — a assertion detectives said was corroborated by surveillance video.

Other witnesses said they heard an statement and saw Mulongo trying to get distant earlier the attack.

Another rider told constabulary helium saw Bennett with an unfastened instrumentality of intoxicant and a ample room weapon with a achromatic blade.

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In this excerpt from Bennett's pretrial merchandise statement signed connected Oct. 20, helium initialed a enactment pledging to "abide by each laws." Within days of his release, helium allegedly masturbated successful beforehand of a pistillate connected a Charlotte autobus and past allegedly stabbed a antheral adjacent the heart. (Mecklenburg District Court)

After the stabbing, astatine slightest 1 bystander intervened and separated the unfortunate from his attacker. Bennett allegedly fled connected foot, but constabulary caught him hours aboriginal wearing the aforesaid bloody clothes, according to tribunal documents.

"Bennett has a lengthy transgression past to see being charged with battle with a deadly weapon, inflicting superior wounded with intent to termination [and] inflicting superior injury," a detective wrote successful the affidavit. "He pled blameworthy to a lesser offense, battle with a deadly limb inflicting superior injury."

Upon his arrest, Bennett invoked his Fifth Amendment close to stay silent, according to the affidavit, but past allegedly told the detective, "You've got to person a weapon if you tin support maine here, you got to person one."

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Bennett successful yet another, undated mugshot photo. (Mecklenburg District Court)

About 20 minutes later, the detective overheard him sobbing.

After his apprehension successful the stabbing case, a detective recognized him from an incidental 4 days earlier successful which a pistillate reported a antheral masturbating portion staring astatine her connected different bus.

Bennett was charged with larceny successful May and released a time aboriginal connected $5,000 bond.

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In September, constabulary picked him up again connected charges of robbery, home unit and making threats. He posted $25,000 enslaved and was released connected Oct. 21.

A deeper introspection of tribunal records recovered 15 cases against him successful the Mecklenburg, Robeson and Wake District Courts going backmost to 2022.

He is present being held without bail connected the attempted execution charge.

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The metropolis has faced aggravated scrutiny implicit debased bail for repetition offenders successful the aftermath of different nationalist transit stabbing, the August execution of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old pizzeria idiosyncratic stabbed successful the cervix from down connected a commuter train.

Iryna Zarutska curls up successful fearfulness arsenic a antheral looms implicit her moments earlier helium attacked her with a weapon connected a Charlotte, N.C., airy obstruction train. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System)

On Aug. 22, a mentally sick fishy with a past of much than a twelve anterior charges named Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, allegedly killed Zarutska successful an unprovoked attack caught connected video.