A 17-year-old high school student, who admitted to fatally stabbing his 12-year-old brother and parents, has left Italian prosecutors baffled as he could not provide a clear motive for the horrific triple homicide that has stunned the nation.
The teenager, whose identity is being withheld due to his age, is currently being held on charges of murder with aggravating circumstances, including premeditation.
The killings took place around 2 a.m. on Sunday in a Milan suburb, shortly after the family had gathered to celebrate the father’s 51st birthday. According to prosecutors, the boy retrieved a knife from the kitchen and first attacked his younger brother in the room they shared. When his mother came to check on the disturbance, he stabbed her as well, and then attacked his father as he tried to assist the younger son.
All three victims sustained multiple stab wounds to the throat and neck, according to Sabrina Ditaranto, a prosecutor specializing in youth offenses. Initially, the teenager called the police, claiming he had killed only his father in self-defense and accusing his father of murdering his mother and brother. However, he later confessed to all three murders.
Prosecutor Ditaranto stated at a news conference, “From a judicial point of view, we don’t have a motive.” She added that the boy could not provide a logical or coherent explanation for his actions, citing a vague feeling of “malaise” that he described as personal and not related to any family issues.
The case has sparked a national debate on the growing isolation of young people, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic and the increasing influence of social media. Despite investigators examining the suspect’s social media activity and interests, no clear motive has emerged, other than his feelings of isolation.
This tragic incident follows another recent stabbing in northern Italy, where a 33-year-old woman was randomly attacked and killed while out for an evening walk near Bergamo on July 30. On Monday, prosecutors confirmed the arrest of Moussa Sangare, a 30-year-old former aspiring singer, who admitted to choosing his victim at random.
