Three women killed in Rome cafe in Italy shooting
Three women – one a friend of Italy’s new prime minister, were killed in a cafe in Rome when a man opened fire. Four others were injured.
Those inside were meeting as part of a local block’s residents’ committee.
The mayor of Rome called the shooting a “grave episode of violence” and said he would attend an emergency meeting on Monday.
The shooting suspect is 57 years old and is reported to have a history of disputes with some of the committee’s board.
Luciana Ciorba, the committee’s vice-president, was at the cafe in the Fidene district, Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper reports.
She said the shooter had entered the bar on Sunday shouting “I’ll kill you all” before opening fire. He was reportedly overpowered by other residents before being detained by police.
Two women and two men are believed to be injured, and one remains in a serious condition.
The victims of the Italy shooting
Italy’s first ever female prime minister named one of the women killed as her friend Nicoletta Golisano. The other death women were named as Elisabetta Silenzi and Savine Sperandio.
PM Giorgia Meloni sent her condelences to Ms Golisano’s family and said she will always remember her friend for being “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 above all she was a professional with a sense of duty out of the ordinary… Nicoletta was my friend.”
“It’s not right to die like that,” she added. “Nicoletta was happy, and beautiful, in the red dress she bought for her 50th birthday party a few weeks ago. For me she will always be beautiful and happy like that.”
The PM said the shooting range from which the suspect is said to have stolen the gun that was used in the attack was closed and under investigation.
Police have yet to comment on the motive – although it’s not believed to be political, and is more likely to be a bitter dispute involving neighbours. PM Giorgia Meloni is the leader of Italy’s far-right Brothers of Italy. She became the PM in October.
