Overview
- The shooting occurred Sunday, August 16, when a 22-year-old who had been detained for throwing packages over the Dogaia prison wall was taken to Santo Stefano hospital and shot in the leg after trying to flee.
- Hospital surveillance footage, released with prosecutor approval, shows the man handcuffed in the ambulance arrival area and was central to the Procura di Prato's decision to open an investigation for attempted murder.
- Witnesses and union statements say the detainee grabbed and discharged a fire extinguisher and struck two prison officers, one of whom later suffered a fractured hand and the other injuries with shorter recovery times.
- The officer who fired three rounds has been questioned and his lawyer, backed by right‑wing politicians, asked that the February procedural rule known as the 'scudo penale' be applied to avoid automatic registration as a suspect, but the prosecutor has not granted that request.
- Investigators are carrying out forensic inspections and witness interviews while the hospital temporarily closed its emergency area for safety and ambulances were diverted; the case highlights recurring drug‑smuggling over prison walls and the new procedural rule that critics call a shield for officers.