Milan: 55-year-old stabbed 20 times outside San Siro bar, 22-year-old arrested for attempted murder

The attack

At around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, 4 July 2026, a 55-year-old man was stabbed repeatedly outside a bar on via Alfonso Capecelatro in Milan's San Siro district. Witnesses and police reports indicate the assailant approached from behind and inflicted approximately 20 stab wounds to the victim's back and abdomen using a knife with a blade measuring between 7 and 7.5 centimetres. The victim collapsed and was stabilised by emergency medical personnel from Areu before being rushed to Niguarda hospital in critical condition.

Victim and suspect

The victim, an Italian man born to foreign parents, remains in a life-threatening state with a reserved prognosis. The suspect, identified as Lamine S., a 22-year-old Italian of Gambian origin, was detained at the scene. Some reports say he was blocked by bar customers before police arrived; others state that State Police officers immediately arrested him. He is being held on suspicion of attempted murder (tentato omicidio). The two men did not know each other and had no prior contact, according to investigators.

Investigation

The motive for the attack remains unclear. The public prosecutor on duty, Elio Ramondini, is coordinating the inquiry led by the Questura's general prevention and public rescue office. Investigators are examining the suspect's background. While initial suspicions pointed to possible psychiatric problems, family members told police that the 22-year-old had never been treated for mental health issues. Authorities have not ruled out any hypothesis, including an entirely unprovoked act.

Context

The stabbing is the second violent incident in Milan in recent days. On the same morning, a separate stabbing occurred in the Gratosoglio district, where a 20-year-old was wounded in the chest by a 31-year-old. The San Siro attack has heightened concerns about street violence in the city, though police have not linked the two events.