A Nigerian migrant has died in broad daylight in the Italian city of Civitanova Marche after a violent incident in the middle of the street. That took place on Friday afternoon in the middle of the city under the watchful eye of bystanders who did not intervene, as can be seen on Italian media published images. Police have arrested a 32-year-old suspect on suspicion of murder and theft of the victim’s phone. Initially, he tried to escape after the incident.
The victim is 39-year-old Alika Ogorchukwu. He is said to have made comments about the man’s girlfriend, who then became angry and took the crutch from Ogorchukwu. He was repeatedly hit on the head and knocked to the ground. In the struggle which followed this, the perpetrator sat on him. He squeezed his throat and pressed the victim’s head against the street.
Bystanders filmed the incident and made comments that the man would not survive, but did not intervene. The man died a few minutes after police arrived.
Ogorchukwu was walking with crutches because he had previously been hit by a motorist. According to his lawyer Francesco Mantella, whom he had taken in hand because of the traffic accident, his client has never been in contact with the law. Mantella states that Ogorchukwu was not provocative and never caused any problems in the city, which residents say he regularly visited with his wife.
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Italy has reacted with dismay to the event. Francesco Acquaroli, president of the region, said he was “shocked and saddened”. “I express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the Nigerian citizen who was brutally murdered in broad daylight in the city center,” Acquaroli said.
Ettore Rosato, Member of Parliament for Viva Italy, writes on Twitter that he is “ashamed” of the bystanders who filmed, but did not intervene. There is a lot of similar criticism on social media.