Naples – Last night's attack on Raffaele Piccirillo, son of Torretta boss Rosario Piccirillo, known as 'o biondo, occurred in full view of numerous security cameras in the area.
The Carabinieri, who are conducting the investigation under the coordination of the Naples DDA, already have the license plate of the scooter used by the two hitmen to carry out the shooting. However, it's likely a stolen two-wheeler, and they're therefore working on the scooter's route, clothing, and movements of the shooter and his accomplice.
They're also working on witnesses, namely the friends who were with Raffaele Piccirillo the other night inside the Aurelio bar on the Riviera di Chiaia, as well as the owner and his employees. The capture of the two hitmen could be swift if, in addition to the investigators' skill in their investigation, there's also the lucky chance of some mistake by the two men.
Although his condition is not serious, Raffaele Piccirillo, 24, son of Torretta boss Rosario Piccirillo, known as "'o biondo," remains hospitalized at San Paolo Hospital, but his life is not in danger. He was wounded in the calf and was declared recoverable in 30 days.
The investigations on the Piccirillo family
The episode rekindles the spotlight on the Piccirillo family, already at the center of numerous investigations into Camorra-related crimes.
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Among the victims is also the well-known Tiktoker, Rita De Crescenzo to whom Antonio Piccirillo, after having asked for protection money on the buoys at the Mergellina dock that the woman manages together with her husband Salvatore Bianco, had addressed the threat: "When you go to file the complaint, make sure it says that there are two of us who want to kill you, me and my father."
The threat to Rita De Crescenzo and her husband
Antonio, in particular, had made headlines for his participation in anti-Camorra demonstrations, during which he had declared his desire to dissociate himself from his father figure and from criminal circles. In 2019, he had even taken part in a sit-in protest after the wounding of little Noemi, the 4-year-old girl hit during a Camorra ambush in Piazza Nazionale.
Despite these public statements, Antonio has been implicated in numerous extortion investigations, along with his brother Raffaele and his father. Raffaele himself is currently under investigation for an incident dating back to February 11, 2021, when he allegedly attacked a Torretta shopkeeper with a glass bottle, threatening to kill him. "No one will refuse my father... and I'll have to shoot you," he allegedly said during the attack, according to the victim's statement to the Flying Squad.
In 2021, Raffaele Piccirillo threatened a Torretta shopkeeper with shards of a bottle
Yesterday's ambush seems to be the latest chapter in a series of tensions that have exploded in recent weeks in the San Pasquale a Chiaia area, where the Piccirillo group is said to have clashed with criminal figures from the Spanish Quarters. A conflict that, according to investigators, could be at the root of the attack on Raffaele.
Comments (1)
This article shows how organized crime continues to be a serious problem in Naples. It is disturbing to think that young people like Raffaele Piccirillo are involved in these situations. We hope that the investigations lead to justice and security.