Florence chief prosecutor Giuseppe Creazzo on Monday said racism was not a factor in the homicide of a 54-year-old Senegalese man in the Tuscan city. A 65-year-old Italian man, Roberto Pirrone, has been arrested for the shooting of Idy Diene. The alleged killer said he left his house Monday morning intending to kill himself, police said, but then decided to shoot anyone who came his way in order to be taken to prison and not weigh on his family any more.
"Racist motives should be ruled out," said Creazzo.
"The personal profile of the man is not linkable to this.
"No links to political groups have emerged, never mind rightwing or racist ones". It was a patrol from the crack Folgore paratroopers' regiment, which was on duty in the 'Safe Streets' operation, that spotted and stopped the man, police sources said.
A medical team managed to revive the victim, but he died 40 minutes later. The shooter, who spoke to police while breaking into tears, said he wanted to kill himself for economic reasons. A farewell note to his daughter has reportedly been found in his home in the Oltrarno district not far from the bridge where the shooting too place.
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