He shoots and kills one of the burglars who entered his home: he is under investigation for murder.

A man died after being shot in the courtyard of a farmhouse under renovation in Baldissero d'Alba, in the Cuneo area. The shooter was reportedly the property's owner, Roberto Mollo, a 35-year-old truck driver, who is now under investigation for murder.

According to initial reconstructions, the man was sleeping when he heard noises coming from the building, which belonged to his grandparents and is currently undergoing renovations. According to what emerged in the initial hours of the investigation, the doors and windows were apparently hit or forced open by people who had entered the farmhouse.

The noises in the night and the shot

The 35-year-old then allegedly went down into the courtyard, brandishing a legally held semi-automatic pistol. In the darkness, he saw some silhouettes and, frightened, fired a shot, hitting one of the men present.

The victim is Gjovalin Lazri, 36, of Albanian origin and a resident of Turin. He remained on the ground in the courtyard. The other members of the group fled on foot through the surrounding countryside, likely leaving in a vehicle.

After firing the gun, Mollo called 112, reporting that some people had broken into the property and that a man had been injured. Paramedics arrived on the scene and attempted CPR, but there was nothing they could do for the 36-year-old.

The investigation and the points to be clarified

The investigation has been entrusted to the Carabinieri of the Cuneo Operations Unit and the Bra Company, coordinated by Asti Prosecutor Biagio Mazzeo. Investigators are carefully reconstructing the sequence of events, the locations of those involved, and how the shot was fired.

The 36-year-old's body has been transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Turin, where an autopsy will be performed. This examination may help clarify key elements of the investigation, including the point of entry of the bullet and the distance from which it was fired.

Mollo had not yet been questioned in the first hours after the incident. His lawyer, Piermario Morra, explained that the 35-year-old was "totally distraught" and had not slept since the incident. The gun and the residence issue

The weapon used appears to be legally owned. However, the 35-year-old's status regarding his recent move to the farmhouse remains to be verified.

This aspect could impact the legal classification of the possession and transportation of the weapon, as well as the overall assessment of the property owner's conduct. Registration in the register of suspects, at this stage, allows investigators to conduct the defense and technical investigations necessary to establish the facts.

Meanwhile, there were no reported shortages from the farmhouse. The group therefore didn't have time to remove construction materials or other items from the building under renovation.

Hunt for accomplices and tension in the country

The Carabinieri are searching for the men who fled after the shooting and are investigating the possible presence of a vehicle used to reach or leave the area. The investigation is focusing on the rural area around Baldissero d'Alba and any possible connections to the victim.

Mayor Michele Lusso called Mollo "a good guy," noting that there had been burglaries in the area in the past, but never before with such serious consequences.

In the hours that followed, the case also fueled the political debate on security and self-defense. From Pontida, Lega leader Matteo Salvini expressed his sympathy "to those who were attacked and to those who defended themselves in their homes."

The case also recalls, due to its territorial context and the use of weapons against suspected thieves, the case of Mario Roggero, the Grinzane Cavour jeweler convicted of killing two robbers and wounding a third. However, the two incidents present different dynamics and circumstances, which will need to be assessed independently by the judicial authorities.