2018 Florence shooting

On 5 March 2018, Idy Diene, a 54-year-old Senegalese immigrant, was fatally shot near the central Ponte Amerigo Vespucci in Florence, Italy.[1] The shooter, who was identified as Roberto Pirrone, turned himself in to the police.[2] While the police have deemed that the shooting was not racially or politically motivated, local African immigrant communities have held protests, citing the murder as prejudiced.[3]

For the shooting in the United States, see Florence, South Carolina shooting.
2018 Florence Shooting
LocationFlorence, Tuscany, Italy
Date5 March 2018
9:00 PM (Central European Time)
TargetSenegalese market trader
Attack type
Shooting
Deaths1
PerpetratorRoberto Pirrone
MotiveUndetermined

Timeline

On the morning of 5 March 2018, Roberto Pirrone left his house with a gun, intending to kill himself. He then changed his mind and decided to shoot anyone he encountered, believing that he would not be a burden to his family in prison. After trying and failing to commit suicide, he pointed his gun at a mother with a child, but decided not to shoot them. He then saw Idy Diene, a Senegalese trader, and shot him three times in quick succession. Pirrone then turned himself in to the police. A medical team managed to revive the victim, who died forty minutes later. The crime scene was cordoned off by the police.

Suspect

The shooter, identified by the police as Roberto Pirrone, explained to the police that he wanted to kill himself for economic reasons while breaking into tears. A farewell note to his daughter was found in his home in the Oltrarno district not far from the bridge. The police confirmed that there was no racist intent in the perpetrated murder.[4] Pirrone was an arms collector and leftist militant. During a search of his house, the Italian police discovered numerous weapons and relics of the former Soviet Union.

Reactions

The Senegalese community in Florence protested against the shooting, believing that it was racially motivated. A group of Senegalese immigrants went to the Florentine town hall to confront the mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella.[5] The police intervened in riot gear to contain the protest. The mayor condemned the murder and extended the support of the city to the victim's family and the broader Senegalese community. He further condemned the violence and rioting. The mayor visited the scene of the murder, where he was attacked by protestors.[6]

Demonstrations against racism have been promoted by the Senegalese community and leftist extremists in many Italian cities in reaction to the murder. The mayor of Florence participated in the anti-racist demonstration that took place in Florence on March 10, 2018, where he was again attacked by protestors.

See also

References
  1. http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2018/03/05/senegalese-man-shot-dead-in-florence_587ce6d0-3d34-48cf-9e74-a753bbdd13a0.html
  2. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-03-06/senegalese-community-in-italy-demands-justice-after-shooting
  3. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-03-06/senegalese-community-in-italy-demands-justice-after-shooting
  4. "Racism ruled out over homicide of Senegalese man". ansa.it. ansa.it. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  5. "African immigrants protest in Florence after Senegalese man shot dead". cnn.com. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  6. "Fresh protest over shooting of Senegalese man in Florence". ansa.it. ansa.it. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
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