New details on Esposito killing

By Football Italia staff

Police believe Daniele De Santis was attacked by Napoli ultras before he shot and fatally wounded Ciro Esposito.

The incident occurred in viale Tor di Quinto several hours before the Coppa Italia Final between Napoli and Fiorentina in Rome on May 3.

The Napoli supporters were walking towards the Stadio Olimpico when an altercation erupted with local Roma fans.

Esposito was shot and he died from his injuries on June 25.

Today the Racis police investigation released new findings, stating that De Santis had gunpowder traces on his hands and fired four bullets from his gun.

It was also ascertained his hands were covered in his own blood when he pulled the trigger and was attacked as he tried to close the gate.

“He was bleeding heavily. It is not to be ruled out that in this phase a knife was used by one of the Napoli fans. After that, the shots were fired in rapid succession,” read the report.

De Santis’ lawyers claim this shows he was reacting in self-defence to “an attempted murder and had been stabbed several times in the abdomen.”

There are also continued suggestions of other Roma ultras in the area at the time who ran away when De Santis was cornered.

It has never been clarified whether this was an ambush from Roma ultras, an attack by Napoli fans or an unfortunate coming together in an area so far away from the stadium that police were not present.

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