In central Milan a shocking act of violence disrupted the morning rush hour. At around 9 a.m. a 43-year-old woman, Anna Laura Valsecchi, was stabbed from behind as she walked through Piazza Gae Aulenti, a busy hub surrounded by offices and retail outlets. The attacker struck with a kitchen knife measuring approximately 20-25 centimetres, driving it from the lower back upwards. The victim was rushed to Niguarda Hospital in code-red condition and remained unconscious under intensive care after more than two hours of surgery.
The suspect, 59-year-old Vincenzo Lanni of Bergamo, was found in a Milan hotel after evading capture for 11 hours. He was wearing the same clothing described during the incident and has a criminal history: in 2015 he committed a similar assault and was deemed partially incapacitated, receiving a prison sentence plus psychiatric detention. Investigators found no known connection between attacker and victim; the motive remains under investigation.
Authorities emphasise the intrusion of mental-health issues in violent crime and are examining Lanni’s prior care and supervision. Milan’s police and Carabinieri units are analysing surveillance footage and witness testimony to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the assault in a heavily trafficked public space.