Rome police confirmed the shooter ahead of last night’s Coppa Italia Final, but insist they “never negotiated” with ultras.
Rome police confirmed the shooter ahead of last night’s Coppa Italia Final, but insist they “never negotiated” with ultras.
The Fiorentina-Napoli game was delayed by 45 minutes while authorities and captain Marek Hamsik spoke with the leader of the Napoli ultras in the Stadio Olimpico.
There is also footage of a back-room meeting in the stadium between Napoli and Fiorentina ultras leaders to work out a course of action.
This afternoon the Roman police held a Press conference giving details on what happened.
“There was no fighting between Napoli and Fiorentina fans, only tussles between Napoli fans and the police which followed the attempted murder.
“It is also not true to say there were ‘negotiations’ with the fans. It was Napoli football club who asked if Hamsik could speak to the fans in order to clarify the supporter was not dead and that Fiorentina had nothing to do with the incident.
“At no point was the game set to be called off, let that be made clear. We never considered cancelling the match. There was a rumour at one stage that the fan was dead and a child had also been shot, which is why we agreed to talk in order to quash these rumours.
“Hamsik was not asking for permission to play. He was simply passing on the updated official information.
“There was no involvement from the Roma ultras either. It was not an organised ambush from a group of ultras. These were the actions of an individual, a lone lunatic who had no plan of escape.”
The 48-year-old arrested for attempted murder is Daniele De Santis, a notorious Roma ultra known as Gastone.
The police made it clear he has a lengthy criminal record and has not been allowed into stadiums for several years.
The statement confirmed he is in the same hospital as Ciro Esposito, the Napoli supporter who is fighting for his life after he was shot in the chest and spine.
De Santis initially provoked the passing Napoli fans by throwing smoke bombs and fireworks, then took out a gun and began shooting at the crowd.