Man shoots ex-partner and himself in Mongrassano after failed reconciliation attempt

The shooting at dawn

A 30-year-old man opened fire on his former partner, a woman of the same age, in the early hours of 13 August 2026 in Mongrassano, in the province of Cosenza, Calabria. After shooting the woman, he turned the same pistol on himself, firing a shot to his own head. Emergency services from 118 and law enforcement arrived on the scene shortly after. Both wounded were transported urgently to the Annunziata hospital in Cosenza, where they underwent surgery.

A failed reconciliation

According to initial reconstructions by the carabinieri, the couple had lived together in Germany before separating. The woman had returned to Calabria, and the man arrived on 12 August, reportedly in an attempt to rekindle the relationship. When the woman refused, the discussion between the two degenerated, culminating in the shooting. Il Messaggero describes the episode as a "tentativo di femminicidio" (attempted femicide) and characterizes the man's reconciliation overture as a pretext.

Conflicting reports on age and condition

Four of the five sources (ANSA, Il Messaggero, Adnkronos, La Repubblica) describe both individuals as 30-year-old coetanei. AGI alone reports them as 50-year-olds ("50enni"), a discrepancy no other outlet corroborates. Reports on their medical condition also diverge. Il Messaggero states that both underwent delicate surgery but are not in life-threatening danger ("non sono in pericolo di vita"). Adnkronos describes both as being in "gravi condizioni" (serious conditions). AGI goes further, calling their conditions "disperate" (desperate) and saying they are "lottano tra la vita e la morte" (fighting between life and death). Both are reportedly being treated in the intensive care unit, according to AGI.

Investigation by carabinieri

The carabinieri, coordinated by the Procura della Repubblica di Cosenza, have launched an investigation to reconstruct the exact dynamics of the attack and determine how the man came into possession of the pistol. Investigators have collected testimony from family members and acquaintances and are examining the pair's mobile phones to trace their communications in the hours leading up to the shooting. The weapon itself is also undergoing forensic examination. The identities of the two individuals have not been publicly released.

What happens next

Prosecutors are awaiting the opportunity to hear accounts from both the woman and the man once their medical conditions permit. The investigation will focus on clarifying the motive, the sequence of events, and the origin of the firearm used in the attack.