On August 15, 2019, in Sulmona, central Italy, unidentified individuals burned the car of Claudio Lattanzio, a photojournalist for local daily Il Centro and collaborator with Italian news agency Ansa, according to a report by the daily.
No one was injured in the attack, which destroyed the car, according to that report. Local police believe the fire was premeditated and have opened a criminal investigation into the incident, Il Centro reported.
Lattanzio told Ossigeno, a Rome-based press safety organization, that he believed the attack was an attempt to intimidate him following his recent reporting on drug trafficking in Sulmona and alleged mismanagement of a local animal kennel.
Lattanzio told CPJ via email on September 11 that the police investigation is still ongoing, and he has not been informed of any developments.
CPJ emailed the press department of the Carabinieri, whose Sulmona branch is in charge of the investigation, for comment on the case but did not immediately receive a response.