Naples – More gunfire in the heart of Neapolitan nightlife. Around 3 a.m., a shooting took place in Piazza Bellini, in the historic center of Naples, causing panic among young people and tourists in the area's clubs.
A few minutes later, a 61-year-old woman presented herself to the emergency room at Vecchio Pellegrini Hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Her life is not in danger.
According to what has emerged in the first hours, the woman may have been involved in the shooting that took place in the square, but investigators are not ruling out any possibility at this time: she could be an accidental victim of a stray shot, but she could also be a witness or a person directly involved in the events.
Officers from the Decumani police station and the Naples Police Headquarters' Flying Squad responded to the scene and are combing the area, acquiring surveillance footage from the premises and businesses surrounding the square.
The goal is to reconstruct precisely what happened and identify who opened fire.
The woman—who lives not far from the center—went to Pellegrini Hospital on her own, where she was treated and held for medical checks. She reportedly told paramedics she had been hit "by mistake," but her version of events is now being investigated by investigators.
Nightlife and tension in the ancient heart
Piazza Bellini, one of the symbolic areas of Neapolitan nightlife, has long been the scene of episodes of violence and nocturnal tension.
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In recent months alone, several shootings involving young people and criminals have brought renewed attention to the safety of the historic center, where the coexistence of crowded venues and petty crime makes territorial control difficult.
The investigators do not exclude that last night's episode could also be linked to personal disputes or to drug dealing dynamics that revolve around the nightlife circuits.
Fear in the night
At the time of the shooting, according to some witnesses, the square was still crowded with people. "We heard two sharp shots, then everyone ran away," said a young man who was standing in front of a local bar. "It seemed like chaos; someone was shouting that someone was injured."
Officers found several spent shell casings on the pavement, which will now be analyzed to determine the caliber and type of weapon used. No arrests have been made so far, but the investigation is continuing rapidly.
A script that repeats itself
The incident in Piazza Bellini adds to a long trail of violence that has affected several neighborhoods of the city in recent weeks: from the Decumani to Chiaia, all the way to the Spanish Quarters.
A scenario that confirms the fragility of nighttime security in Naples, where the balance between nightlife, tourism, and crime remains tenuous.
Law enforcement has stepped up patrols in the busiest areas, but nighttime continues to be a fertile ground for tension and settling scores.
Comments (1)
It's worrying that there are ongoing episodes of violence in Piazza Bellini, a place that should be safe for young people and tourists. The security situation seems to be getting worse and worse, and no effective solution is in sight.