Young man, 21, shot ‘after comments about killer’s girlfriend’ | World | News
A few months ago, a young man was shot in the head and killed after he allegedly made offensive remarks about the attacker’s girlfriend. Paolo Taormina, 21, was killed around 3 a.m. on Sunday, October 12, in front of dozens of young people outside O Scruscio, a restaurant owned by his parents, where he was a bartender.
Suspect Gaetano Maranzano, 28, reportedly did not resist when he was arrested at his partner’s home just hours after the brutal murder. Maranzano allegedly claimed to have argued with Mr Taormina over comments he made about his girlfriend earlier this year. On the night of the incident, the two crossed paths again while the 21-year-old was trying to break up a fight between a group of boys.
While a table was reportedly beating a teenager from another group, the victim intervened to calm things down.
Amid the chaos, Maranzano allegedly pulled out an illegally owned 9mm handgun and shot Mr. Taormina in the head in Palermo, Italy, NeedToKnow reported.
“About 10 of them were beating a child,” an anonymous witness told local media. “Paolo came out and told them to stop and move away because they were trying to work.
“It looked like it was over; then one of them shot him at point blank range.”
Mr. Taormina’s mother, Fabiola Galioto, was reportedly at the bar at the time of the incident and witnessed Maranzano firing a gun at her son.
He died in her arms moments after being shot. “His heart was still beating; I could hear him breathing,” he said.
Mr. Taormina was studying in the United States but returned to Sicily a few months ago. Friends said the victim was kind, gentle and hard-working.
Maranzano, a father of a young child, is reportedly from a Palermo neighborhood and has a criminal record for assault and drug offenses.
It was understood that the attacker’s own father had previously been convicted of attempted murder.
An autopsy will be performed at the Forensic Medicine Institute to determine the cause of death. Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
