A wave of unprovoked, random violence has shattered the peaceful autumn nights in two of Rome's most historic districts, Testaccio and Monteverde Vecchio. Investigators are hunting two suspects, believed to be teenagers, who used a black diesel microcar to carry out at least six violent drive-by attacks on unsuspecting pedestrians in early October. In one of the most severe incidents, Italian actor Davide Iacopini was struck by a flying kick launched from the vehicle while riding an electric scooter, crashing violently into a parked car.
Rome prosecutors have opened an attempted murder investigation. Law enforcement officers are scrutinizing footage from over 40 surveillance cameras to identify the vehicle’s license plate. A critical piece of evidence includes a baseball cap dropped by one of the fleeing perpetrators near Testaccio Bridge. The case took another turn when a local attorney reported his family's black microcar stolen just two days after the rampage.
The vehicle itself has mysteriously vanished. Authorities are currently scouring scrap yards and auto-wreckers across the Capital’s suburbs, fearing the microcar may have been crushed or concealed to destroy forensic evidence. A high-level meeting at the prosecutor's office could soon provide a breakthrough in identifying the youths behind the thrill-seeking violence.