Massimo Adriatici was arrested on suspicion of shooting and killing an illegal Moroccan immigrant after an argument outside a Voghera bar on Tuesday night. He allegedly fired at the 39-year-old immigrant in self-defence.
On Tuesday night, Adriatici, a Voghera councillor and member of the right-wing League party, allegedly fired at the 39-year-old immigrant in self-defence.
Adriatici said the fatal shot went off accidentally after being pushed to the ground by the victim.
However, police said he shot and hit the immigrant near the heart after being pushed.
The victim and the assailant
The victim, Youns El Boussetaoui, had a long criminal record. His convictions include threats, resisting arrest and illegal weapons possession, judicial sources said.
Adriatici is a prominent lawyer in the town near Pavia in Lombardy and has started initiatives against riotous and drink and drug fuelled street night life known as the ‘malamovida’.
An anti-alcohol ordinance he promoted came into force Tuesday night, local sources said. Reportedly a former policeman, he also teaches criminal law to police cadets at Alessandria, Ansa agency states.
He has suspended himself from his post, Voghera Mayor Paola Garlaschelli said.
A report from several bar clients says a man saw the immigrant throw a bottle at the official. Police ruled this out. They did say the immigrant may, however, have thrown a bottle previously while he was bothering people outside the bar in Piazza Meardi.
The immigrant was unarmed during the confrontation with Adriatici, police said.
The bar owner, Robino Punturiero, said “I don’t justify in any way what happened but this person (El Boussetaoui) is absolutely not a victim, we have been the victims for some time”.
He added, “I have known Massimo Adriatici for a very long time, he is a great bloke, calm, I can’t say anything (against him). He has always helped us and he used to get the Carabinieri to patrol around here”.
The Wild West
The shooting led to a political row on Wednesday as all parties put forward their views.
The 5-Star Movement (M5S) said “it is unacceptable that an unarmed man can lose his life due to a shot fired in a public square, as if we were in the Wild West”.
Communist Refoundation said “we had known for a long time that individuals of dubious morality were elected in the ranks of the League, but what happened at Voghera is really too much”. They called on the anti-migrant party to “face up to the crime”.
The Democratic Party (PD) said “what happened in Voghera is a huge event, which must spur everyone, and first of all the League, to reflect” on alleged vigilante justice. “Everyone, bar none, must condemn the Wild West logic and DIY justice,” it said.
League leader Matteo Salvini said “far from being the Wild West in Voghera, the hypothesis of legitimate self-defence is becoming clearer.” The former deputy premier said, “we’ll wait for the reconstruction of events, there are no citizens that go around shooting people with their legitimately held weapons, but self-defence is obviously always legitimate in the case of being attacked, as a last resort”.
The Green Europe party said “Salvini’s statements in defence of (Adriatici) are extremely serious. Salvini who, with the investigation still ongoing, anticipates the reconstruction of the events and rushes to say that the gunshot fired accidentally is to be considered legitimate defence, is only defending a Wild West situation”.
The League recently ushered in a new law on legitimate self-defence.
