Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon on Thursday confirmed that DeCarlos Brown, the alleged killer of Iryna Zarutska, would face a federal competency determination independent of state proceedings that found him unfit to stand trial.

Brown stands accused of the killing of the Ukrainian-born Zarutska while aboard a Charlotte metro car. Footage of the incident appeared to show Brown stab her multiple times in the neck while she cowered in shock. She later succumbed to her injuries. The episode attracted national attention. A state court found Brown mentally incompetent to stand trial this week, the New York Post reported.

"Folks: I had a great call this morning with our US Attorney in Charlotte.
Brown remains in federal custody and so the parallel state proceedings are in no way dispositive," Dhillon posted on X. "There will be a federal competency determination and prosecution track taking precedence."

The case drew the attention of President Donald Trump, who hosted Zarutska's mother at the State of the Union address earlier this year. He has further urged authorities to pursue the death penalty for Brown.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.