A 25-year-old soccer player was fatally stabbed with a screwdriver while being targeted for the pizzas he was carrying. Gabriele Vaccaro and two companions encountered a group of five teenagers in Pavia, Italy, around 3:30 am on Sunday, April 19, resulting in an altercation that led to Gabriele being stabbed in the neck and abdomen.
Following the attack, the perpetrators fled the scene, leaving Gabriele’s friends unaware of the seriousness of his injuries. Despite being rushed home, Gabriele’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away in the hospital shortly after paramedics were called.
Three of the individuals involved, including two young men and a 17-year-old, have been apprehended and interrogated. The 17-year-old, believed to be of Egyptian descent, is suspected of carrying out the stabbing, as indicated by CCTV footage showing him wielding a screwdriver.
Authorities revealed that the conflict initiated when the group demanded Gabriele surrender the pizzas he was transporting, with one of them saying, “You can’t even carry pizzas properly. Give them to us instead.” Additionally, one of Gabriele’s friends sustained a minor abdominal injury and received medical treatment.
Originally hailing from Favara, Gabriele was not only a postal worker but also a dedicated footballer who competed for various clubs, such as Atletico Favara, Casteltermini, and Kamarat in the Promozione league. Described by Atletico Favara as a “kind-hearted young man, an athlete, and a role model of courtesy and enthusiasm,” Gabriele is survived by his parents, two brothers, and a twin sister.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.