Three women, including a friend of Italy’s new prime minister, were killed when a man opened fire in a Rome cafe on Sunday, injuring four others.
The victims were attending a meeting of the residents’ association of a building in the region.
Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome, described the attack as a “serious episode of violence” and announced that he would hold an emergency meeting on Monday.
The 57-year-old suspect is in custody. He has a history of fighting with some members of the association’s board, according to local media.
Luciana Ciorba, vice president of the association, was at the cafe in the Fidene district, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported.
She said the gunman entered the bar on Sunday shouting “I’m going to kill you all” before firing shots. He was reportedly restrained by other residents before being detained by the police.
Two women and two men are believed to have been injured. One person remains in serious condition.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni identified one of the women killed as her friend Nicoletta Golisano. The other two were identified as Elisabetta Silenzi and Sabina Sperandio.
In a Facebook post in which she offered condolences to Golisano’s family, Meloni said she would always remember her friend as “beautiful and happy”.
“Nicoletta was a protective mother, a sincere and discreet friend, a woman strong and fragile at the same time,” she wrote.
“But most of all, she was a professional with an unusual sense of duty. Nicoletta was my friend.”
“It’s not right to die like this,” added Meloni, who is leader of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) party.
“Nicoletta was happy and beautiful in the red dress she bought for her 50th birthday party a few weeks ago. To me, she will always be beautiful and happy like that.”
Meloni, who was sworn in as the country’s prime minister in October, also reported that the shooting range from which the suspect allegedly stole the weapon used in the attack has been closed and is under investigation.
Police have yet to comment on the suspect’s motivation. The attack is not believed to have been politically motivated.
Reports in the Italian press suggest that the suspect and the building’s council of residents had been locked in a bitter dispute for some time.
This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-63946258
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
