Rome man stabs Russian roommate in Cipro flat and collapses in custody

Altercation on via Francesco Sivori

On Sunday morning, 20 September 2026, a domestic dispute escalated into violence inside a residential apartment on via Francesco Sivori, situated in Rome's Cipro neighbourhood near the Vatican. Three individuals lived together in the shared property without any family connections or romantic relationships: a 53-year-old Italian man and two female flatmates. During the morning hours, an argument erupted inside the home over reasons that authorities have not yet determined. The man attacked both women during the confrontation, engaging in a physical struggle and drawing a knife against them. He stabbed one of the two women, a Russian citizen reported by authorities as 47 or 48 years of age, inflicting cuts to her right arm and left shoulder blade.

Emergency response and victim hospitalization

Following the knife attack, the injured Russian woman managed to flee the apartment and reach the street outside, where she called for urgent help. At approximately 09:45, a call to the 112 emergency number notified law enforcement of an injured woman in public on via Francesco Sivori. Carabinieri patrols and ambulance personnel arrived on site, where the victim told officers that an acquaintance had attacked and stabbed her inside their shared accommodation. Paramedics provided initial care on the street before transporting her by ambulance to the Policlinico Gemelli hospital. Medical staff at the hospital admitted her for observation and treatment, confirming that her puncture injuries were not life-threatening.

Suspect detention and emergency collapse

Carabinieri located, identified, and detained the 53-year-old suspect at the residence immediately following the incident. Officers transferred him from the neighbourhood to the headquarters of the Carabinieri Nucleo Radiomobile for formal booking and custody processing. While inside the station offices, the detainee suffered a sudden and severe medical collapse. Military personnel summoned the 118 emergency medical service, whose paramedics arrived at the station, stabilized the man, and rushed him under code red conditions to the Policlinico Tor Vergata hospital. Preliminary findings suggest that the suspect swallowed toxic liquid substances inside the flat before police arrived, in an apparent suicide attempt.

Investigative steps and inquiries

Judicial investigators and Carabinieri officers launched inquiries to establish the complete sequence of events, spanning the apartment struggle, the stabbing, and the suspect's subsequent collapse in custody. Inquiries aim to reconstruct the exact circumstances and triggers that led to the initial violence between the three roommates. Detectives scheduled formal interviews with both the hospitalized Russian victim and the second female roommate who was present during the altercation. In parallel, medical specialists at Policlinico Tor Vergata are conducting toxicological analyses to identify the specific liquid substances the suspect ingested. The case remains under active investigation by Rome authorities as both individuals receive hospital care.