Lucrezia Ciotti A private daycare center was hit by gunfire in the middle of the night in Acerra, in the province of Naples. The facility, run by the former city councilor, has come under fire, while investigators are trying to determine the motive for the attack and determine a possible connection to past threats the family has received.
Shots fired at a private nursery school in Acerra: Carabinieri investigate
As reported by Il Mattino , moments of concern arose in Acerra where a private nursery school on Via Stendardo was hit by multiple gunshots. The incident reportedly occurred overnight, while the alarm was only raised on the morning of Friday, October 16, when the Carabinieri arrived on the scene to conduct initial investigations.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported , but the building was damaged . The military has begun investigations to reconstruct the incident, identify any spent shell casings , and trace the origin of the bullets . The Carabinieri of the Castello di Cisterna Investigative Unit are also participating in the investigation, gathering evidence to identify those responsible.
The nursery school run by former councilor Maria De Rosa: investigators are looking into the motive.
The episode takes on particularly sensitive aspects because, as highlighted by Il Mattino , the affected facility is reportedly managed by Maria De Rosa , former city councilor for Social Policies and Urban Planning in the government led by Mayor Tito D'Errico. In 2023, she reportedly resigned from her position following the arrest of her husband, Pasquale Balascio, who was apparently implicated in an investigation by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate into alleged extortion and loan sharking. Balascio, who was reportedly sentenced to six years in prison in the first instance for a case related to a funeral home, is currently under house arrest.
According to local news reports , the family has already received several threats , and intimidating incidents have occurred near the man's home. Investigators are now trying to determine whether the shooting at the daycare center is related to this incident or whether it was a separate incident.
It remains unclear whether the nursery school was the direct target of the attack or whether it was hit during a so-called "stesa," a series of gunfire aimed at intimidating or asserting control of a territory. At this time, the nature of the raid and the identity of the perpetrators remain unclear.