A ‘bicycle-hating’ motorist was seen in footage firing a gun at Italian cyclists he was attempting to overtake.
The 25-year-old driver fired two shots at the group of cyclists who had been taking part in a pre-Christmas training camp in Verona on Saturday.
He allegedly pulled out the blank-firing pistol while overtaking the group, creating ‘an extremely dangerous situation,’ local media reported.
The act appears to have been caused by trivial motives related to disagreements over maneuvers.
The team of cyclists was being led by former professional and now RAI TV channel commentator Alessandro Petacchi when they were targeted by the gunfire.
Following three days of investigation by local authorities, the weapon was seized, and it was established that the man had no prior criminal record.
License plate analysis and local intelligence revealed that the vehicle had a non-functioning headlight, which helped narrow the search for the car.
The weapon was found hidden under the vehicle’s boot floor.
Ab 25-year-old driver fired two shots at the group of cyclists who had been taking part in a pre-Christmas training camp in Verona on Saturday
‘This last detail leaves no reason for the perpetrator to have possessed it recklessly and not for recreational purposes, especially given the fact that the red cap had been removed,’ local police said.
The 25-year-old was reported at liberty to the Verona Public Prosecutor’s Office for aggravated menacing, possession of weapons or objects capable of causing offence, and dangerous explosions.
It comes after a furious driver pulled his gun on a biker in a road rage battle before the pair were instantly arrested by cops in 2023.
A witness captured the dispute at a busy intersection in broad daylight as the car and the bike were held up in traffic in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The pair were seen in a heated argument before the driver pulled a gun and then the biker appeared to grab something from his bike.
But fortunately, a police car arrived on the scene and instantly started shouting for the weapon to be dropped and told the men to get on the ground.
