Two men are scheduled to appear in court following a dramatic armed robbery involving an armored security truck on a motorway in Italy on Monday.
Masked gangsters attacked vehicles with Kalashnikov rifles and stole the cars of students as they tried to flee, ending in a shootout with Italian police Carabinieri.
The group, made up of at least six people, fired several shots at the Carabinieri, wounding one police officer.
Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crocet described the incident as a “bloody incident with a gunfight, and the absolute priority is to protect the communities endangered by the madness of the criminals.”
Mr Crozet praised police officers for their effective response. “I am deeply grateful to the men and women in uniform who protect us and keep our country safe every day,” he said in a statement.
The gang stopped a vehicle on the road in front of an armored truck belonging to security company Battistri, then set it on fire to stop traffic.
The security company said the widely shared footage of the incident was shocking, adding: “We express our closeness and solidarity to our colleagues, those involved and their families.”
He stressed that incidents of this type are rapidly increasing and called for further steps to be taken to improve security. “Over the past two years, the Battistry Group has been the subject of 14 attacks, a situation that requires attention and concrete action,” the group said.
According to Italian public broadcaster RAI, the suspects are two men, aged 38 and 62, and will be charged with various crimes, including attempted murder, aggravated robbery and possession of weapons of war. The injured police officer is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
