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The federal inmate accused of stabbing Derek Chauvin has been charged with attempted murder, it has been revealed.
As we previously reported, Chauvin was allegedly attacked by a man who has since been identified as 52-year-old John Turscak on November 24.
The incident is said to have taken place in the library at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona, where Chauvin is currently serving his 21-year sentence.
Per the criminal complaint filed on Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office has since shed light on the severity of the former Minnesota police officer’s injuries as more charges have piled up against Turscak.
Chauvin, who was convicted for the 2020 murder of George Floyd last year, had been stabbed 22 times with an “improvised knife” before being rushed to the hospital.
According to prosecutors, Turscak allegedly confessed to the crime and is said to have told law enforcement officials that he would have killed Chauvin had nobody intervened.
The complaint further revealed that he’s also been hit with an additional charge for assault with a dangerous weapon.
Assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with the intent to commit murder were among the extra charges.
“Turscak stated that his attack of (Derek Chauvin) on Black Friday was symbolic with the Black Lives Matter movement and the ‘Black Hand’ symbol associated with the Mexican Mafia criminal organization,” Turscak reportedly told authorities, per NBC News.
If he’s found guilty, Turscak could be looking at 20 years behind bars for the alleged attempted murder of Chauvin.
Being convicted of causing serious bodily injury would result in another maximum sentence of 10 years, the complaint adds.
Chauvin was the only person hurt in the attack, a statement by the Bureau of Prisons confined on Friday, November 24, per AP News.
Responding officers had taken “life-saving measures” as Emergency Medical Services were rushed to the scene.
Despite his severe injuries, Chauvin is expected to survive the attack.
Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter movement, established in 2013, saw a surge in support after Floyd’s death in May 2020.
Floyd had been accused of giving a store clerk a counterfeit $20 bill, which had led to his arrest.
Video footage recorded by a bystander showed the ex-police officer kneeling on the North Carolina native’s neck. Additionally, Chauvin subsequently suffocated Floyd.
Initially, it wasn’t clear how long Chauvin remained in this position. However, prosecutors ultimately revealed the ex-officer knelt on Floyd for an astounding 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
