Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of George Floyd’s murder, was reportedly stabbed and seriously injured by another inmate at Federal Correctional Institution—Tucson on Friday (November 24).
According to reports, live-saving measures were taken after the violent altercation, and Chauvin was rushed to a nearby hospital and treated for his injury. He’s expected to survive.
Chauvin was transferred from a maximum-security state prison in Minnesota in August 2022, where he was held in solitary confinement for his own safety. He was in the general population at FCI Tucson, a medium-security federal prison.
In May 2020, George Floyd, an African-American man, was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis. Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, leading to Floyd’s death.
The incident was captured on video and sparked global protests against police brutality and racial injustice, while simultaneously thrusting the Black Lives Matter movement into the worldwide spotlight.
Chauvin’s trial garnered extensive media attention and public scrutiny.
In April 2021, after a high-profile trial, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. He was subsequently sentenced to 22.5 years in prison.
The attack came days after the Supreme Court declined to hear Derek Chauvin’s appeal and the release of a new documentary titled The Fall of Minneapolis in which he called his conviction a “sham.”
This incident has sparked various reactions from the public and media, reflecting the ongoing discourse surrounding police brutality and systemic racism in the United States.
People’s reactions to the stabbing vary widely, with some viewing it as a form of retributive justice while others express concern over the safety and ethics of the prison system.
“Derek Chauvin getting shanked in prison made this holiday weekend just that much more festive. Cheers,” one user wrote while another snarled, “The timing of the stabbing of #DerekChauvin is So Obviously Suspect – The Truth is Out It WAS an Overdose by/of #GeorgeFloyd NOT Murder.”
#DerekChauvin getting shanked in prison made this holiday weekend just that much more festive. Cheers!🍻
— 𝓛𝓐 𝓝𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 (@nocturnal1) November 25, 2023
New #GeorgeFloyd documentary drops.#DerekChauvin nearly murdered in prison.
— SeanJoseph19 (@SeanJoseph1978) November 25, 2023
There are no coincidences. pic.twitter.com/QLlGqF6Zar
The timing of the stabbing of #DerekChauvin is So Obviously Suspect – The Truth is Out It WAS an Overdose by/of #GeorgeFloyd NOT Murder #FREEDEREKCHAUVIN
— 🇺🇸The REAL Lady De’Plorable🇺🇸 (@LadyRedWave) November 25, 2023
I challenge you to watch all 9 minutes of George Floyd's murder. If you aren't moved as a human being, there's something wrong with you. If you can watch another human being murdered and feel nothing, or feel joy in it, there's something wrong with you. #DerekChauvin
— Mizz Me (@MyaNikitaEtc) November 25, 2023