Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, known for his conviction in the George Floyd murder case, was stabbed by another inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona.
The incident, which took place on November 24, 2023, occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. and resulted in Chauvin being hospitalized. He is currently reported to be in stable condition.
Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution against Chauvin in Minnesota, expressed sadness upon learning of the stabbing, emphasizing the importance of Chauvin serving his sentence without facing retaliation or violence.
Chauvin, aged 47, was convicted in the high-profile case of George Floyd’s death in May 2020. He is serving a 22 1/2-year sentence for second-degree murder, along with a concurrent federal sentence of 21 years for violating Floyd’s civil rights.
Chauvin’s safety in prison has been a subject of concern since his sentencing. Prior to his transfer to federal custody in August 2022, he was kept in solitary confinement in Minnesota prisons for 23 hours a day due to safety concerns. His lawyer had advocated for keeping Chauvin out of the general prison population to avoid such incidents.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not disclosed the identity of the attacker or the specifics of the assault. The bureau confirmed that the incident was quickly contained and that no staff members were injured.
This stabbing marks the second significant security breach at the Tucson federal prison in just over a year, following an attempted shooting in November 2022. The medium-security facility, which has been dealing with security issues and staff shortages, is known for housing inmates requiring extra protection, including informants, sex offenders, and former law enforcement officers. This incident, however, highlights potential gaps in the prison system’s ability to safeguard such inmates.
The motive behind the attack, the identity of the assailant, and the precise nature of Chauvin’s injuries remain undisclosed. Following the incident, the Bureau of Prisons has temporarily halted visitation to the facility.
