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Welp, knife comes at you fast! The inmate accused of stabbing Derek Chauvin 22 times planned a “Black Friday” attack to symbolize “Black Lives Matter,” according to federal prosecutors.

Derek Chauvin

Source: Hennepin County Jail / Hennepin County Jail

That certainly gives a new meaning to “reason for the season.” Authorities identified the federal inmate behind the “Shanksgiving” stabbing as John Turscak. He reportedly plotted on the ex-cop convicted of murdering George Floyd for a month.

When the big day finally came, Turscak was allegedly ready for Chauvin with an “improvised knife.” NBC News reports Turscak faces charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

As BOSSIP previously reported, a fellow prisoner tried to carve Chauvin like a turkey on Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving. Unlike George Floyd, who suffocated to death for nine minutes, Chauvin received “life-saving measures” from staff at Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson. He was transferred to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

As soon as news of Chauvin’s stabbing made headlines, speculation spread about it helping him overturn his conviction. The attack came only one week after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal.

US-RACISM-POLICE-TRIAL

Source: CHANDAN KHANNA / Getty

Now that prosecutors have identified the inmate who stabbed Chauvin, there are even more questions than answers.

Find out more about John Turscak and his connections to the FBI and the Mexican Mafia after the jump.

Who Is John Turscak, And What Did He Have To Do With The Mexican Mafia And FBI Before Allegedly Stabbing Derek Chauvin?

Prisoner in handcuffs

Source: Peter Dazeley / Getty

Many who wish nothing but the worst for Derek Chauvin celebrated his previously unknown attacker as a vigilante. Now that we know the man behind the “Shanksgiving” stabbing, some say it’s looking funny in the light. Chauvin’s supporters claim it proved his innocence. Meanwhile, several of the killer cop’s critics wonder how his attacker missed 22 times.

Federal prosecutors claimed that John Turscak planned a “Black Friday” assault for the “Black Hand,” a symbol associated with the Mexican Mafia. According to court documents, he joined the Mexican Mafia in 1990.

Per the Los Angeles Times, he greenlit “assaults of individuals for infractions of Mexican Mafia rules.” He also reportedly collected “taxes” from drug dealers and street gangs in “return for Mexican Mafia protection and permission to engage in narcotics trafficking.”

Turscak took credit for the murder of a man in Folsom Prison in 1990. He claimed to authorize another man’s murder in 1998. In 1997, the FBI recruited him as an informant. The investigation led to indictments of more than 40 alleged Mexican mafia members and associates.

However, working for the feds only got him in more trouble. Federal prosecutors dropped him for admitting to “dealing drugs, extorting money, and authorizing assaults” while on their payroll. He pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder for a 30-year sentence. Turscak’s time was almost up. His release date was scheduled for June 3, 2026.

Turscak waived his Miranda rights in his interview with FBI agents on Nov. 26. Although he reportedly claimed responsibility for planning out the assault and stabbing Chauvin 22 times, Turscak “denied wanting to kill” him. So he did all this for shanks and giggles?

Some suspect Turscak knew he’d be safer with a life sentence than as a free man who turned on the feds and the Mexican Mafia. After all, he reportedly admitted to choosing Chauvin for his status. He reportedly spent a month thinking about a date and symbolic motive that would guarantee more major headlines. Then he wasted no time telling FBI agents all about it.

Either way, Chauvin survived his serious injuries and remains in federal custody for the rest of his two decades behind bars. With these new charges against Turscak, he could face just as much additional time or more for the “Shanksgiving” shenanigans. Maybe that’s what Turscak wanted all along.

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