Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd, was stabbed by another inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona, according to a person familiar with the matter. The stabbing occurred on Friday, and Chauvin was seriously injured in the attack. The incident has raised concerns about security lapses and staffing shortages at the prison. Chauvin's attorney, Gregory M. Erickson, criticized the lack of transparency by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, stating that Chauvin's family has been kept in the dark and has had difficulty obtaining information about the attack. Brian Evans, a spokesperson for the Minnesota attorney general's office, stated that Chauvin is expected to survive. The lack of communication with Chauvin's family and attorneys is seen as indicative of a poorly run facility.

The Bureau of Prisons has faced criticism in recent years for its handling of high-profile prisoners, including the suicide of wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. The agency has also been accused of ignoring internal guidelines and failing to notify families of seriously ill or injured inmates, as well as providing little information to loved ones in general. Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to address these concerns and require notification of serious illnesses, life-threatening injuries, and deaths in custody. Chauvin's stabbing is the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in the past five months, following the stabbing of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar.

Chauvin, who is serving a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights and a 22?-year state sentence for second-degree murder, was transferred to FCI Tucson from a maximum-security state prison in Minnesota in August 2022. His lawyers had advocated for keeping him out of the general population due to concerns that he would be a target. In Minnesota, Chauvin was mainly kept in solitary confinement for his own protection. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Chauvin's appeal of his murder conviction. He is also attempting to overturn his federal guilty plea, claiming new evidence shows he did not cause Floyd's death.

George Floyd's brother, Terrence Floyd, expressed indifference towards Chauvin's stabbing, stating that his energy is focused on getting justice for his brother and he does not have any feelings about what happens to Chauvin in prison. Floyd's death ignited protests worldwide and sparked a national conversation about police brutality and racism. Three other former officers involved in Floyd's death received lesser state and federal sentences.

The stabbing of Chauvin has brought renewed scrutiny to the Bureau of Prisons, which has been plagued by numerous flaws and failures. An AP investigation has uncovered rampant sexual abuse, escapes, chronic violence, deaths, and severe staffing shortages within the agency. Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters, who took office last year, has vowed to reform the agency and bring greater transparency.