Updated November 25, 2023 at 10:56 AM ET
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of George Floyd's murder, was seriously injured on Friday after another inmate stabbed him inside a federal prison in Arizona.
The attack took place around 12:30 p.m. local time at the Federal Correction Institution, Tucson, according to The Associated Press, which was the first to report the incident. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also confirmed to The Star Tribune that Chauvin, 47, was stabbed but remains in stable condition.
"I am sad to hear that Derek Chauvin was the target of violence," Ellison said. "He was duly convicted of his crimes and, like any incarcerated individual, he should be able to serve his sentence without fear of retaliation or violence."
Both the Bureau of Prisons and an FBI spokesperson based in Arizona confirmed to NPR that an inmate was assaulted at the federal prison on Friday, but neither agency would confirm it was Chauvin.
The Bureau of Prisons added that "life-saving measures" were performed on the inmate. The inmate was later taken to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
FCI Tucson, which oversees about 380 inmates, suspended visitations until further notice.
It is not clear what prompted the altercation. Chauvin's attorney did not immediately respond to NPR's requests for comment.
In 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 ½ years in state prison for Floyd's murder. He also received a 21-year-federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights. Chauvin was ordered to serve those sentences concurrently.
The ex-officer appealed the murder convictions in hopes of overturning the jury's verdict or reducing his sentencing. Earlier this week, that appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Chauvin has also been seeking to overturn his federal civil rights conviction. Earlier this month, he filed a motion arguing there was new evidence to suggest he did not cause Floyd's death.
Floyd, who was Black, was killed on May 25, 2020, during an attempted arrest. Chauvin, who is white, pinned Floyd to the ground and held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes. Floyd's death and the horrific way he died, which was captured on video, sparked massive protests across the country over racial injustice and police brutality.
Three other Minneapolis officers who helped with restraining Floyd were convicted of depriving Floyd of his right to medical care. J. Alexander Kueng was sentenced to three years, Tou Thao to 3 1/2 years and Thomas Lane to 2 1/2 years.
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