Pistoia Basket fans' bus attacked: driver dies. Meloni: "Unacceptable and insane violence."

Last night, after the match against Sebastiani Rieti: A stone-throwing attack on a bus carrying Pistoia Basket fans resulted in the death of Raffaele Marianella., died after being chit by a brick that broke the windshield. The assault took place last night on the State Road 79, at the height of Contigliano, shortly after the Serie A2 match.

The Rieti Prosecutor's Office has opened a case of voluntary homicide against unknown persons. In the night, one dozens of Rieti fans were questioned at the police stationThe investigations, entrusted to the Flying squad and Digos, aim to reconstruct the dynamics of the ambush and identify those responsible.

The assault and the escape

According to initial reconstructions, The bus had just left Rieti, where the police escort had ended its service following the tensions at the sports hall. At the height of the junction for Contigliano, taking advantage of the poor lighting, some individuals would have hit the vehicle with large rocks and bricks. One of the rocks smashed the side windshield, hitting Marianella, who died instantly.

Regarding the events, the The mayor of Rieti has spoken out, calling the incident a "shocking criminal act.", condemning “a despicable gesture that has nothing to do with sport”. The prime minister Giorgia Meloni he defined the assault “unacceptable and insane violence” and expressed “Deepest condolences to the victim's family and our deepest sympathies to those who witnessed the tragedy.”

even the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi He commented indignantly: "It's shocking to die on the way home from a basketball game. These criminals can never be called fans. Sport is life, not murderous madness."

The president of the Italian Basketball Federation, Gianni Petrucci, has called an urgent extraordinary council meeting for today at 15pm, which will also be attended by the president of the Coni and national team coach. The Federation expressed “deepest condolences to the victim's family of the senseless act”.

Sebastiani Rieti wanted to express its condemnation of such actions with a note: Sebastiani Rieti completely dissociates itself from what happened. This is a very serious matter, far from the values ​​that sport represents.Pistoia Basket also expressed its dismay and sorrow, declaring itself “deeply affected by a tragedy that should never have happened” and gathering around the driver's family and loved ones.