Derek Chauvin, officer convicted of George Floyd’s death, stabbed in prison

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted for the 2020 murder of George Floyd, was seriously injured in a stabbing incident at a federal prison in Arizona on Friday.

The assault on Chauvin, occurring at the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Tucson, happened at around 12:30 p.m. local time, a source told The Associated Press. The convicted murderer was stabbed in the prison known for its security lapses and staffing shortages, the AP said, and has become a scene of yet another violent incident involving a notable prisoner.

Newsweek has sought additional information and verification from relevant sources and will update this article as more details become available.

Chauvin’s case drew international attention following the death of Floyd after Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes. The incident, captured on video, sparked global protests against police brutality and racism.

Chauvin, 47, was transferred to FCI Tucson in August 2022 to serve a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights, along with a 22 and a half-year state sentence for second-degree murder. His lawyer had previously raised concerns about his safety, resulting in Chauvin being mostly held in solitary confinement in Minnesota for protection.

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the assault occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time, without revealing the identity of the inmate involved. The statement the AP received detailed that staff performed life-saving measures before the individual was hospitalized for further treatment.

Newsweek has also reached out Chauvin’s lawyer and the FBI for comment and therefore could not verify the severity of the situation.

The stabbing of Chauvin is not an isolated case in the U.S. federal prison system. In July, USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar who was sentenced to decades in prison for abusing his position and sexually assaulting hundreds of young women in his care, was similarly attacked in a federal penitentiary in Florida.

The latest incident at FCI Tucson follows a November 2022 event where an inmate, armed with a firearm that should not have been in his possession, attempted to shoot a visitor, the AP reported Friday. The gun misfired, preventing any injuries.

In addition, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been under increased scrutiny after a series of high-profile incidents, including Jeffrey Epstein’s jail suicide in 2019 and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s suicide in June, the AP said. The news outlet said an ongoing internal investigation has revealed systemic issues within the Bureau of Prisons, including sexual abuse by staff, chronic violence, and severe staffing shortages affecting emergency responses.

Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters, appointed to address the issues, has faced criticism from lawmakers for lack of transparency and slow responses to inquiries, according to the AP. Despite pledges to improve hiring practices and internal investigations, challenges persist within the system.