Homeless man shot by municipal police after knife attack outside Livorno supermarket
Municipal police shot and wounded a 42-year-old Spanish homeless man outside a Coop supermarket in San Vincenzo, Livorno, after he lunged at officers with a large knife on Sunday evening.
The confrontation
A 42-year-old homeless man of Spanish origin was shot and wounded by a municipal police officer in San Vincenzo, in the province of Livorno, on Sunday 26 July. The incident took place outside the Coop supermarket in via Biserno, where the man was known to spend many hours of the day, local people said.
Witness accounts describe the man as being in a highly agitated state. He had begun harassing customers inside the supermarket before moving outside and threatening people with a large knife. Several passers-by called the local police, and a patrol arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.
Police response
Two officers approached the man and tried to calm him down. According to early reconstructions, the 42-year-old pulled out a large knife and attempted to stab one of the officers, who managed to dodge the first lunge. The officers were then able to move him out of the supermarket and into the car park.
Outside, rather than calming down, the man allegedly made a second attempt to stab the same officer. At that point, seeing his safety seriously threatened, the officer drew his service pistol and fired one shot towards the ground, striking the man in the abdomen.
Medical and investigative follow-up
Emergency services (118) arrived quickly and the injured man was airlifted to Cisanello hospital in Pisa. His condition is described as stable and not life-threatening. Both state police and carabinieri attended the scene to carry out investigations. Judicial police are now working to establish the exact sequence of events.
The mayor of San Vincenzo, Paolo Ricucci, was informed and went to the supermarket himself to assess the situation and inquire about the condition of the wounded man. The officer involved in the shooting was defending himself from a knife attack, according to the initial findings.
- Man in highly agitated state harasses customers inside the Coop supermarket.
- Man brandishes large knife and threatens people outside the store; passers-by call police.
- Two local police officers arrive, try to calm him; man attempts first stabbing, officer dodges.
- Officers manage to move the man outside to the car park.
- Man makes second knife lunge at the same officer, who fires one shot towards the ground, hitting the man in the abdomen.
- 118 emergency services arrive; man airlifted to Cisanello hospital in Pisa, condition stable.
- State police, carabinieri and judicial police begin investigation; mayor Paolo Ricucci visits the scene.
Witness reactions
The episode caused moments of fear for shoppers who, on leaving the supermarket, found themselves face to face with a man brandishing a knife. Local reports suggest that the homeless man was a familiar presence in the area, but the sudden escalation on Sunday evening was without immediate precedent.
