Prato officer investigated for attempted murder after hospital shooting

Italian prosecutors have launched an attempted murder investigation into a penitentiary officer who fired three shots at a 22-year-old Moroccan man at Santo Stefano Hospital in Prato. The incident occurred on August 16 while the man, who was handcuffed and under arrest, was receiving treatment following an incident outside the Dogaia prison.

One bullet struck the man in the leg. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the officer pursuing the man through an enclosed ambulance area. Prosecutors are examining the circumstances, while the officer's legal team argues the actions were justified. The officer is scheduled for questioning by the prosecutor on September 4.

Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the confrontation. The prison officers' union, Sappe, stated that the man grabbed and discharged a fire extinguisher while attempting to flee, causing injuries to the officers. Conversely, prosecutor Luca Tescaroli noted that footage suggests the man was in an area from which escape was not possible when the shots were fired. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has publicly defended the officer's actions.