The two members of the minicar gang have been identified and reported to the police.

Two minors – a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old – are the perpetrators of the attacks on actor Davide Iacopini (who remains in hospital in a serious condition) and five other people, which took place between 4 and 5 October in Rome. The two were identified by the Carabinieri and local police officers, coordinated by public prosecutors in Rome. The young man driving the black minicar lives in Monteverde, while his friend lives in Testaccio. Questioned overnight at the police station by the public prosecutor from the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, the two admitted to the offences. They face a charge of attempted murder – though they remain at liberty pending trial – but it will now be up to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office to assess the case against them.

One of those accused of the minicar attacks is reportedly the son of a carabiniere and, in particular, is said to be the owner of the vehicle. The black minicar was identified partly thanks to the testimony of a mechanic who said he had fitted red LEDs near the number plate and placed stickers on the minicar used by the two men. According to reports, the two were celebrating one of their birthdays between 4 and 5 October. According to the findings of the investigation conducted by the Carabinieri, the two men, who have confessed to the offences, have a previous conviction for theft committed together.

The minicar used in the attacks was found parked outside the home of the 17-year-old owner. It bore a cobra sticker on the bonnet, LEDs on the front bumper and a red light on the number plate. A sticker bearing the mechanic’s number led the investigators to the man, who confirmed that he had carried out the modifications to the car and gave the 17-year-old’s name. By analysing the schoolboy’s social media profile, the investigators identified his friend, who, during his confession, also recognised the cap that had been found on the street following one of the attacks at Ponte Testaccio.

The investigations, coordinated by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office and carried out with the assistance of the ‘Cyber Investigation’ and ‘Technical and Scientific Forensics’ sections of the Carabinieri’s Investigative Unit and the RIS in Rome, have yielded significant circumstantial evidence suggesting that the minicar identified was the vehicle used to carry out the six attacks. Furthermore, during the night, a minicar believed to be the one used in the attacks on 4 and 5 October was seized by the Carabinieri and the local police. 

“We responded swiftly to a case that had caused alarm amongst the public. We have done our part, and for this I would like to thank Public Prosecutor Ambrogio Cassiani, working under the coordination of Deputy Public Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini. I would also like to thank the Carabinieri and the local police officers for their work,” commented Rome’s Chief Public Prosecutor, Francesco Lo Voi, regarding the latest developments in the investigation.