At least six people were wounded in a drive-by shooting in Macerata, a town in central Italy, on Saturday. Police have said that foreigners were targeted in the attack, according to the BBC, while local media reports said that the suspect, who has been arrested, targeted black immigrants.
One of the injured people is in critical condition. The suspect, Luca Traini, had an Italian flag wrapped around his neck when he was apprehended. Traini had contested in regional elections as a member of the anti-immigration Northern League in 2017, and was said to have made a “fascist salute” when he was arrested.
Local reports are linking the possibly racist attack with the murder of an 18-year-old girl whose body parts were found in two suitcases on Wednesday. A 29-year-old Nigerian male migrant was taken into custody in connection with the murder, BBC reported.
Italian elections will be held on March 4. Anti-foreigner sentiment had become a theme in the electoral campaign, with the Northern League promising to deport up to 150,000 migrants if voted to power, AP reported.
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