Neighbors argue in the Spanish Quarters, knock down door and hit with a crowbar: arrested

Naples – A long-running condominium dispute, consisting of mutual accusations, arguments, and alleged acts of property damage, escalated into an attack that could have had even more serious consequences. It happened in the Spanish Quarter, where a 64-year-old man with no criminal record, Mario De Gaetano, was arrested by police on charges of attempted murder against his 45-year-old neighbor.

It all began late Monday morning, when officers from the Montecalvario Police Station's Flying Squad responded to the building following a new dispute between two residents. De Gaetano filed a complaint against his neighbor, alleging damage and objects being thrown at his home.
However, during the officers' intervention, the situation became tense again. According to the police's reconstruction, the 45-year-old reacted aggressively toward the officers, resulting in a charge of resisting a public officer and assault.

The door was kicked in

It seemed as if the patrol car's intervention would restore calm. But a few minutes later, when the officers had already left the building, the situation escalated again.
According to the investigation, the 45-year-old returned to the attack, reaching the floor where his neighbor's apartment is located. He then began violently hitting the front door, eventually kicking it in, and accompanied the attack with serious threats.

It was at that point that De Gaetano reportedly reacted. The 64-year-old, according to evidence gathered by investigators, allegedly grabbed a heavy iron stick he kept inside the house and went outside to confront his neighbor.

The chase on the stairs and then on the street

The man allegedly attempted to escape, quickly descending the building's stairs to reach the Via D'Engenio exit. However, the pursuit continued outside.
Once he reached the 45-year-old, De Gaetano allegedly struck him repeatedly with the crowbar, primarily targeting his head and torso. The 45-year-old fell to the ground, bruised and bleeding, while several passersby raised the alarm by calling the emergency number.

Officers from the Montecalvario police station returned to the scene and provided first aid to the man, requesting the intervention of 118. At the same time, a search for the attacker began inside the building.
The crowbar handed over to the officers

De Gaetano was found in his apartment. At that point, according to investigators, he offered no resistance and admitted his guilt, also handing over to officers the iron bar used in the attack, still stained with blood.

The 45-year-old was transported to Pellegrini Hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe head trauma, a fractured nasal septum, several rib injuries, and wounds to his hands, consistent with an attempted defense. His prognosis was set at thirty days.

Arrest for attempted murder

Following the investigation, De Gaetano was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was not transferred to prison; he was placed under house arrest at a home provided by a relative in another neighborhood.

A long history of disagreements between the two residents remains in the background, which is believed to have preceded the outbreak of violence. Among the incidents reported in the case is a previous confrontation in which, according to the reconstruction, the 45-year-old man threw a fire extinguisher at his neighbor. Police investigations and any further judicial developments will now determine responsibility and the overall dynamics of the argument that escalated into an assault.