Rome shot the bank robber: vigilantes sentenced to two years

Threatened with a gun aimed at his face, he had been forced to watch, helplessly, while three robbers robbed the bank where he worked. And when the criminals had fled, he had chased them and had ordered the alt, unheard. While they kept running, Stefano Salmoni he had decided to open fire. One of the thieves had been shot and died. And now, five years later and after one tortuous judicial process, for the security guard who pulled the trigger in 2014, he was sentenced to two years in prison. Despite a request for dismissal – rejected – a subsequent request for acquittal and one for acquittal formulated by the prosecutor's office. In preliminary hearing, a year ago, the judge had even sent him to the dock with the charge of voluntary murder. Dispute that yesterday, at the end of the trial before the Court of Assizes in Rome, was declassified: Salmoni was found guilty of manslaughter with excess of legitimate defense. His lawyer, Luigi Guarnieri, has already announced the appeal against the sentence. The vigilante must also compensate the victim's family members in a separate judgment.READ ALSO Rome, vigilante shot and killed the robber on the run: "It was voluntary murder"

THE DYNAMICS
It was May 14, 2014. Like every day, Salmoni was at work in the branch of Host of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena. In a few minutes all hell had broken loose. Gianluca Igliozzi he had entered the bank with a helmeted face and a gun held in mana. Two accomplices followed him, armed as well. One of the robbers had practically seized the vigilantes, preventing him from intervening: he had blocked the door of the cage in which Salmone was located and had pointed the gun at the security guard. Meanwhile, an accomplice had climbed over the counter and forced one of the employees to give him 14,000 euros. Then, the robbers had fled. They had left the bank and started running, heading for the scooters they had parked beside the sidewalk.

THE SCARES
At that point, Salmone had intervened. He had rushed into the street, armed, and had ordered the criminals to stop. No one had listened to him. Thus, the vigilante had pulled the trigger seven times, firing at man height. A bullet hit Igliozzi: he had pierced his arm and reached his chest. The rush to the hospital had been futile: the robber had died within minutes. The same day, Salmoni had been registered in the register of suspects. After questioning him, the prosecutors Laura Condemi and Edmondo De Gregorio had requested the dismissal of the case. The gup Francesco Patronehowever, he had rejected that request, ordering the forced indictment for the security guard. Then, the preliminary hearing, with the prosecutor who made a request not to proceed against the accused. A request for acquittal rejected for the second time: the gup Alessandra Boffi, in March 2018, had ordered the indictment of Salmoni, on charges of voluntary murder.

THE JUDGE
According to the magistrate, the vigilantes left the bank four seconds later than the criminals and for a few moments stood still. Then, he had verbally imposed the alt. So he started shooting at a man's height. To prove it also a video of the CCTV camera outside the branch. It was not possible for the judge to apply the excuse of legitimate defense. Hence the accusation of voluntary murder, however declassified by the Court of Assizes. Last updated at 11:14 © REPRODUCTION RESERVED