Rieti – A senseless tragedy, an episode of violence that had nothing to do with sports. The driver of a bus carrying Pistoia Basket fans home after the Serie A2 game at the PalaSojourner in Rieti against Sebastiani died last night.
According to initial investigations, the man was hit by a brick thrown through the vehicle's windshield during an assault near the Contigliano junction on the Rieti-Terni highway.
The assault and the tragedy
The bus, carrying a group of Tuscan fans, had departed a few minutes earlier from the stadium, where Pistoia's victory had recently concluded. During the journey, several individuals—presumably members of the local fan base—allegedly targeted the vehicle with a barrage of rocks and bricks, hitting the windshield squarely.
One of the shots hit the second driver, who was sitting next to his colleague at the wheel. The impact proved fatal: the man died instantly, even before emergency services arrived.
The 118 paramedics immediately arrived on the scene, along with several police and Carabinieri patrols, who cordoned off the area and began surveys.
It might interest you
Peppe Vessicchio, the maestro who made Italy sing, has died.
Riders take to the streets, calling for a nationwide strike to renew their phantom contract: "We've been invisible for five years."
Farewell to Willy David, the discreet soul of Neapolitan Power.
CGIL union protesters on December 12th: "Unfair budget, stagnant wages."
Law enforcement is examining CCTV footage along the highway and in the areas surrounding the PalaSojourner stadium to identify the perpetrators. The most likely theory is that it was an ambush organized by ultras after the home team's defeat.
The Rieti Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into homicide and aggravated damage, while it has not been ruled out that there may also be concerns about public order and post-match security.
The condolences of the companies
"What happened leaves us shocked," Sebastiani Basket Rieti wrote in a statement. "The bus carrying visiting fans, on its way home, was subjected to an unspeakable act: a stone-throwing incident that resulted in the death of one of the drivers. The club completely distances itself from what happened and expresses its deepest condolences and sympathy to the victim's family."
The Tuscan club also expressed shock and sorrow: "Pistoia Basket 2000," reads the official statement, "has learned with shock the news of the death of one of the two drivers on duty. We await the judicial findings, but what has emerged is unacceptable. President Joseph David and the entire club extend their condolences to the driver's family and loved ones."
A wound for sport
An episode that shook the world of basketball and beyond, bringing to mind the darkest pages of sports violence.
It remains unclear whether the attack was aimed at the fan bus or whether it was an isolated act of hooliganism. The fact remains that, once again, sporting passion has turned into madness, and a man has lost his life over a basketball game.
Leave a comment