Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, was reportedly stabbed by another inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson, on Friday. The incident raises concerns about the security lapses and staffing shortages at the medium-security prison, which has been under scrutiny for previous incidents.

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the assault, stating that employees responded promptly, containing the incident and administering “life-saving measures” before transporting the unnamed inmate to a hospital for further treatment. No prison staff were injured, and the FBI has been notified, leading to the suspension of facility visits.

This marks the second high-profile attack on a federal prisoner in five months, following the stabbing of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar in July. It also highlights the challenges faced by the Tucson federal prison, which experienced another major incident in November 2022 when an inmate attempted to shoot a visitor.

Derek Chauvin, currently serving concurrent federal and state sentences, had been transferred to FCI Tucson in August 2022. His lawyer, Eric Nelson, had advocated for keeping him out of the general population due to safety concerns, emphasizing that Chauvin had spent much of his time in solitary confinement in Minnesota.

Chauvin’s recent stabbing comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting his appeal of the murder conviction and amid a longshot attempt to overturn his federal guilty plea based on new evidence.

The incident sheds light on broader issues within the federal Bureau of Prisons, which has faced increased scrutiny in recent years following high-profile cases like Jeffrey Epstein’s jail suicide in 2019. The agency’s struggles to ensure the safety of its highest-profile inmates, as evidenced by Nassar’s stabbing and the suicide of “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski, have raised questions about its ability to address systemic flaws.

An ongoing investigation has uncovered rampant sexual abuse, criminal conduct by staff, escapes, violence, deaths, and severe staffing shortages within the Bureau of Prisons. Director Colette Peters, brought in to reform the agency, has faced criticism for delays in providing information to lawmakers and challenges in maintaining transparency.

While Peters has highlighted efforts to overhaul problematic prisons and strengthen internal affairs investigations, her tenure has been marked by frustration from lawmakers who accuse her of not fulfilling promises of transparency. As the Bureau of Prisons grapples with these challenges, the assault on Derek Chauvin further underscores the need for comprehensive reforms within the troubled agency.