Prosecutor seeks house arrest for Turin officer who shot tear gas at Juventus fan's head before derby

The incident

Before the Torino-Juventus match on 24 May 2026, clashes broke out between rival fan groups near the stadium. Marco Leonardo Basoccu, a 36-year-old Juventus supporter from Milan who arrived with the Viking organised group, was struck in the head by a high-velocity object. He was placed in an induced coma and underwent delicate surgery to remove part of his skull. He was discharged from Turin's Molinette hospital on 9 June.

Investigation and charges

Prosecutors Giovanni Bombardieri and Paolo Scafi concluded that the object was a police-issue tear gas canister, fired horizontally from a distance of a few dozen metres by an officer from Turin's Reparto Mobile. The canister's steel casing did not open to release its plastic slots because it was fired at too short a range. The officer is accused of aggravated bodily harm for shooting at head height in violation of public-order directives.

There is a serious circumstantial picture for the tragic injury of the Juventus fan, linked to the explosion of a tear gas canister fired, in a manner not compliant with the prescribed methods, by the State Police officer, heedless of the possible very serious consequences.

Investigators from the mobile squad analysed drone footage from the Digos and surveillance cameras, along with testimony from the officer's colleagues. The police themselves identified the suspect. On 3 July the officer appeared before a preliminary investigations judge for a preventive interrogation, a step introduced by the Nordio reform before any restrictive measure can be ordered. The judge's decision on the house-arrest request is expected in the coming days.

Victim's recovery

Basoccu, a Milan-based accountant, still tires easily and has no memory of the injury. He told reporters he is trying to reconstruct the events.

I'm trying to piece together small bits, from the arrival of our bus to the moments before my injury. These days I've had many visions, I need to understand what is reality and what I only saw in my head.

He is scheduled for another operation in September to reconstruct his skull.

Family reaction

Pier Luigi Basoccu, the victim's father, said he never believed the early theories that a stone or bottle caused the injury. He expressed relief that investigators identified the shooter.

When I learned that investigators identified who fired the tear gas that hit Marco in the head, I was moved. The tension dropped. I relived those terrible days, full of anxiety. Days when I feared losing my son, feared he would never be the same. Instead, a great miracle happened.

He added that he does not wish to judge the young officer, hoping the act was unintentional.

What comes next

The judge's ruling on the house-arrest request is pending. If granted, the officer would be confined to his home while the investigation continues. The case has already sparked protests from fan groups and left-wing activists in Turin, who had previously demonstrated against police conduct.