He was there with his girlfriend and friends to spend an evening like many others in joy and carefree, when suddenly he found himself in the middle of the hell unleashed by Giacomo Frasconà. A few steps away from him in the terrified crowd, with exceptional cold blood and thanks to the techniques learned by practicing martial arts, he managed to disarm him and push him to flee. The protagonist of the timely intervention is Luigi Calandra Checco, a 25-year-old agricultural entrepreneur, black belt in karate, who tells the Gazzetta about the terrible moments he experienced on Saturday evening.
«I saw his cold eyes as soon as he got out of the car screaming where Giuseppe was, his alleged target, he took the gun out of his back pocket and started shooting – Luigi tells us -. I heard three shots explode and I thought I couldn’t stand by and watch, fearing that he would continue unloading all the shots at his disposal. I approached from behind, hit him in the side and then deliberately leveraging his arm made him drop the gun he was holding in his right hand. To prevent him from recovering the weapon I pushed him away, hitting him with a couple of shoves that knocked him out of action. At that point, obviously unarmed, I think he got scared and left, while I immediately thought of going and looking for my girlfriend and my sister and bringing them home.”
A gesture that averted even more serious consequences. «I haven’t slept for two nights, thinking back to the risk I took – concludes Luigi – also because before now we had only simulated disarming techniques with fake weapons in the gym. At that moment, however, an instinct for protection triggered in me.”