Two stab wounds, one to the stomach and one to the side, that could have been lethal. Bruno Petrone, 18, a promising young footballer from Campania, was hospitalized in serious condition after being stabbed by a group of at least four people. A veritable raid on him took place on Via Bisignano in the Chiaia neighborhood, Naples's bustling nightlife district on a Friday night.
Two of the attackers turned themselves in that evening: a 15-year-old boy confessed to the physical injury, while one of his accomplices is 17. The prosecutor from the juvenile court will question them in the coming hours. The circumstances of the incident are currently unclear, although the prevailing theory is that it was revenge for an old argument that had occurred in the same area. The group of young people evidently felt targeted by the Carabinieri investigation, and two of the four turned themselves in to law enforcement. The injury occurred after 1:00 a.m.: Bruno was walking with some friends when the attackers arrived, their faces covered, on two scooters. They pounced on their target, stabbing him twice, and then fled.
The young man remained on the pavement, immediately taken to an ambulance. At San Paolo Hospital, he underwent a lengthy surgical procedure, which involved the removal of his spleen. The prognosis remains guarded, but the injured man's condition has stabilized, and as the hours passed, the doctors expressed cautious optimism. The officers first interviewed the young people who were with Bruno, and then his family.
The 18-year-old, originally from southern Lazio, lives with his parents in the center of Naples, dividing his time between studying and playing football. Footage from the numerous surveillance cameras in the neighborhood was then carefully examined, likely revealing information that allowed the Carabinieri to narrow down the case. Two of the attackers have thus turned themselves in, and it's not out of the question that the other two may do the same in the coming hours.
The narrow streets of Chiaia's "baretti" have been the scene of violent incidents in the past, and for several months, Prefect Michele di Bari established one of the city's "red zones," with the ability to remove individuals deemed dangerous. "For us residents, the sense of insecurity is heightened. The facts speak clearly: it is essential that the institutions guarantee law enforcement presence until the bars close."
