Violent attacks with metal bars in Italy

In early September 2026, a 29-year-old man attacked vehicles and pedestrians with a metal bar in Martina Franca, Taranto. The incident involved the suspect striking a moving car and threatening an elderly driver. Four citizens intervened to disarm the man, resulting in injuries to four people and the attacker. The Mayor of Martina Franca condemned the violence and requested an expulsion order for the individual.

On September 20, 2026, a similar incident occurred in Crotone, where a man armed with an iron bar damaged several parked vehicles near the Port Authority headquarters. During the attempt to calm the suspect, four police officers were injured, two of whom sustained serious injuries. The suspect, identified as a Nigerian national, was eventually disarmed and taken into custody by officers.

On September 21, 2026, further details emerged regarding the Crotone attack. The suspect, a 31-year-old Nigerian national identified as K. S., was arrested after a violent outburst in via Regina Margherita. He reportedly damaged at least seven parked vehicles and attacked passersby before turning his aggression toward responding police officers. Five officers were injured, with medical reports indicating a 30-day prognosis for those wounded. Authorities seized three iron bars and a wrench during a search.

The suspect faces multiple charges, including resistance and injury to a public official, aggravated damage, and illegal possession of weapons. K. S. has a history of legal issues in Italy since arriving in Trapani in 2017. Although a court had previously declined to validate a detention measure due to a perceived lack of danger, he had been involved in several prior criminal incidents and had recently been released from prison in Naples. Following the arrest, police unions expressed solidarity with the injured officers, noting the increasing risks faced by law enforcement during routine interventions.