3rd LD Writethru: Italian shoots at six African immigrants in racially motivated attack

ROME, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- An Italian man shot and wounded six African immigrants in what the authorities described as a racially motivated attack in the southern city of Macerata on Saturday.

The man named as Luca Traini, 28, went on a drive-by shooting rampage targeting at immigrants in various parts of the city, then drove to a monument, gave the Fascist salute, wrapped himself in the Italian flag, and awaited arrest, local media reported.

Macerata Mayor Romano Carancini told RAI public broadcaster that one of the victims was seriously wounded in the abdomen while the others are in stable non life-threatening condition.

Traini's rampage -- which caused what local media described as scenes of "panic in the streets" -- took place during a court hearing upholding the pretrial detention of Innocent Oseghale, a Nigerian immigrant accused of killing and dismembering 18-year-old Pamela Mastropietro, stuffing her body parts in two trolleys and dumping them in the countryside.

While the mayor would not say whether the two events were related, he called on everyone to calm down. "We were shocked by what happened to Pamela, but this does not justify hatred and feeding hatred," Carancini told RAI. "Whether or not you agree with the government's immigration policies, we must not stoke violence," he said.

Mastropietro's uncle, Marco Valerio Verni, told RAI in a televised interview that the family wants justice for Pamela but "taking justice into our own hands is wrong".

In 2017, the shooter, Traini, ran for local office as candidate of the Northern League, a rightwing anti-immigrant party whose leader, Matteo Salvini, is aiming for the premiership in the next national election to be held March 4.

"I can't wait to get elected and restore security throughout Italy," Salvini told reporters in televised comments in the aftermath of the Macerata shootings. "Out-of-control immigration brings social conflict," he said.

Other political leaders, including Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso, said the Northern League leader has encouraged racist violence with his rhetoric in an election year.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti has met with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni to discuss the incident, and is heading to Macerata for a security committee meeting, local media reported. Enditem