MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 21: In this photo provided by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin poses for a booking photo after his conviction April 21, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges in the murder of George Floyd. (Photo by Minnesota Department of Corrections via Getty Images)
Derek Chauvin has survived 22 stab wounds. The convicted felon‘s health update comes via his lawyer, Gregory M. Erikson.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Erikson said:
“Derek’s family confirmed that his medical condition has improved to the extent that he has been removed from the trauma care facility at a local Tucson hospital and returned to prison custody for his follow-up care.”
As The Shade Room previously reported, Derek Chauvin required medical attention after another inmate repeatedly stabbed him on Nov. 24. The incident reportedly occurred in the library of the Federal Correctional Institute in Tuscan, Arizona. Chauvin is serving a 21-year sentence in connection to the 2020 death of George Floyd.
The alleged attacker, John Turscak, used an “improvised knife” in the stabbing, per a criminal complaint by the US Attorney’s Office. John, 52, reportedly admitted to law enforcement officials that he planned to kill Derek Chauvin if no one had intervened.
However, AP reports that prosecutors have said the opposite and that John admitted to considering the attack for a month but didn’t want to kill him.
He has been charged with attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with the intent to commit murder, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to NBC News, John purposely stabbed the former Minneapolis police officer on Black Friday.
“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.”
John Turscak is serving a 30-year sentence, per AP, for crimes committed as a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
Now that Chauvin is back behind prison bars, his family is voicing concerns about his safety. Attorney Erickson says they’re “very concerned about the facility’s capacity to protect Derek from further harm.”
The family has also said they’re unaware of any procedure changes within the facility to prevent the same thing from happening again.
John allegedly stabbed Chauvin at 12:30 p.m. local time. Prison officers reportedly used pepper spray to subdue him while also performing “life-saving measures” on Chauvin.
There’s no word on whether Derek will be placed in solitary for his protection.
