In the Italian city of Macerata, six people were wounded yesterday when a man opened fire from his car. The police say that all victims are African migrants to the country. One of the five men and one woman hit in the attack are in “extremely bad shape,” European media reports.
Thankfully, police have arrested the suspected shooter, 28-year-old Luca Traini. He has no criminal record but is known to have ties to neo-Nazi and neo-fascist groups, Home Secretary Minniti told reporters. In a photo posted after his release, one can see that Traini has a neo-Nazi sign tattooed on his forehead.
Traini was driving a black Alfa Romeo when he opened fire on the migrants. He did so at different locations in the city. Italian newspaper La Repubblica adds that he was wearing an Italian flag around his neck and that he made a fascist salute when committing his crimes.
In 2017, Traini was a local candidate for the Lega Nord, an anti-immigrant political party in Italy.
It is considered likely that Traini committed these terror attacks — because that’s clearly what they are — as revenge for the murder of a young Italian woman in Macerata last Wednesday. The murder suspect is a Nigerian immigrant.
Be that as it may, it goes without saying that this is no excuse to attempt mass murder. Traini and his ilk are not looking for reasons to attack migrants, but for excuses.
The good news is that Traini was arrested immediately. He will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This will, hopefully, mean that he will not be able to walk — let alone drive — on the streets for decades to come.
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