An inmate accused of stabbing Derek Chauvin 22 times is charged with attempted murder

Court documents reveal that the inmate accused of assaulting Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted in George Floyd's killing, had meticulously planned the attack for approximately a month before stabbing Chauvin around 22 times with an improvised knife.

According to a federal complaint, the incident occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time on November 24 in the law library of the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson. The assailant, identified as John Turscak, 52, inflicted serious bodily injury on Chauvin during the attack. Federal correctional officers swiftly responded to the incident, deploying OC spray to subdue Turscak.

Turscak, now facing charges of attempted murder, reportedly informed the corrections officers that he would have killed Chauvin had they not intervened promptly. The complaint further revealed Turscak's stated motive, connecting the assault to the Black Lives Matter movement and the 'Black Hand' symbol associated with the Mexican Mafia criminal organization.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, Turscak faces three other counts, including assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The news release from the District of Arizona's US Attorney's Office outlined the potential penalties for these charges, with attempted murder and assault with intent to commit murder carrying maximum sentences of 20 years' incarceration, while assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury each carry maximum penalties of 10 years' incarceration.

Chauvin, who is currently serving concurrent sentences related to Floyd's 2020 murder, was treated at a local hospital's trauma care facility following the attack. His condition has improved sufficiently for him to be returned to prison custody for further care. However, Chauvin's family remains concerned about the facility's ability to protect him from further harm.

Gregory M. Erickson, Chauvin's attorney, expressed the family's lack of assurance that procedural changes had been implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future. While Chauvin confirmed the events outlined in the complaint to his family, it remains unclear how Turscak obtained the materials used for the improvised knife.

Erickson questioned why Chauvin was allowed into the law library without a guard in close proximity to prevent a potential attack, emphasizing the family's ongoing concerns. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was convicted in April 2021 on state charges related to Floyd's death and later pleaded guilty to federal charges, receiving substantial prison sentences for both. The tragic incident involving Floyd in May 2020 ignited widespread protests against racial injustice and police treatment of Black Americans across the globe. A 2022 Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation revealed a pattern of race discrimination within the city and its police department.