Horror as British tourists caught up in Italian restaurant mafia gun attack – 1 dead | World | News
A quiet dinner for a group of British holidaymakers turned into a nightmare when masked gunmen burst into an Italian restaurant and shot an “innocent” waiter. Angelo Pizzi, affectionately known as Lino, was killed by gunfire while performing his duties.
The 62-year-old victim, a head waiter with no criminal record, died at the scene. Investigators believe his death was a case of mistaken identity. The shooting took place at the Spaghetteria n.1 restaurant in Bisceglie, southern Italy, on Thursday night (April). According to the information obtained, two hooded gunmen entered the restaurant during the dinner service and opened fire, firing approximately 15 shots in a rapid attack, causing panic among the diners.
Investigators suspect the intended target was the restaurant owner, a previously convicted man who was present at the time. Mr. Pizzi, described locally as a hard-working and decent family man, found himself in the line of fire, according to authorities.
Customers, including a group of British tourists, witnessed the terrifying ambush taking place in front of them.
According to NeedToKnow, forensic teams examined the scene until late at night. Internal security cameras are being examined as part of evidence collection efforts. Authorities are treating the murder as a mafia-style ambush.
The investigation is being led by the Direzione Distrettuale Antimafia (DDA), a judicial body that specializes in investigating mafia-style organized crime.
The gunmen fled immediately after the attack and no arrests have been made yet.
Mayor of Bisceglie, Angelantonio Angarano, called for unity and justice after the tragedy and stated that the society should stand “with their heads held high and without fear”.
Although the exact number of patrons at the time remains unclear, witness statements from those who were there were collected. Local media reported that the victim had a clean criminal record and had no connections to criminal circles, strengthening the theory of mistaken identity.
Prosecutors did not rule out a possible connection to another recent homicide in Bisceglie. Filippo Scavo, 42, of the Strisciuglio clan, was shot dead at the Divine Club on April 19.
As investigations continue, authorities are looking into potential links between two violent incidents occurring less than two weeks apart. No arrests have been made and Italian authorities are currently reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing witnesses, including shaken British nationals eating nearby.
The restaurant will remain closed while investigations continue.
