Emotions are still high in the imperial city, but the investigation into the shooting which left one dead and six injured on Monday, December 23 at Lamparo, an establishment in downtown Ajaccio, is progressing quickly.
This Wednesday, Christmas Day, the alleged perpetrator of the shooting, aged 41 and actively sought since the tragedy, went to the Ajaccio police station at the end of the afternoon. The information was confirmed by the Ajaccio prosecutor, Nicolas Septe: “This evening, around 6 p.m., the accused took himself prisoner. He will be placed in custody by judicial police officers, with the conduct of hearings and investigations continuing under the authority of a magistrate. instructor of the Ajaccio judicial court.”
A search was immediately carried out at the home of the person in custody.
Contacted by Corse-Matin, his lawyer assures that the suspect will not assert his right to silence: “He will explain this dramatic evening”confides Me Philippe Gatti.
Customers throw themselves to the ground, frightened by a volley of gunfire
The tragedy played out Monday evening, at peak time inside the brewery Le Lamparoa mecca for the Ajaccian nightlife. It was 11:30 p.m. when shots rang out and caused a general movement of panic. Several people threw themselves to the ground, others left the establishment in a hurry, frightened by the salvo, the origin of which was still unknown to most of the customers.
Near the counter, the first observation is dramatic: several people are seriously injured. Three of them are able to reach the emergency room at Ajaccio hospital by their own means, transported with difficulty by some of their relatives.
Emergency services provided first aid to the four victims lying on site, then gradually transferred them to the hospital center. Two of them are in a state of absolute emergency.
A young man of 33, Pierre-Louis Giorgi, succumbed to his injuries a few hours later, on the morning of December 24.
A 33-year-old firefighter dies
Professional firefighter, well known and highly appreciated in the imperial city, “Saw” had notably escaped the trap of the flames, one evening of a fire in Bastelica, on March 24, 2017. With four of his colleagues, he intervened on the fire when it surrounded them on the road to the Ese plateau. The tragedy had been narrowly avoided but the burns on his face were still visible. For this act of bravery, the five firefighters were decorated with the bronze medal of internal security.
Pierre-Louis Giorgi was also a big fan of boxing. A resident of the Ajaccian Ring, he had fought as an amateur. This Wednesday evening, several dozen people gathered in front of the club hall, boulevard Pascal-Rossini in Ajaccio, to watch over his memory. Others placed candles in a window of the Lamparo, as a sign of mourning.
The autopsy of Pierre-Louis Giorgi must take place this Thursday, December 26. The state of health of the six other injured people, some of whom are still hospitalized, remains under close monitoring but the vital prognosis of none of them is in jeopardy. Psychological support is offered to families through Corsavem.
Investigators favor “the trail of a private dispute”
A criminal judicial investigation into attempted murder and murder was opened by the Ajaccio public prosecutor's office. The investigations were entrusted to the interdepartmental direction of the national police of Corsica-du-Sud. “The idea of a private dispute that occurred within the establishment between the perpetrator of the gunshots and the deceased victim is currently the theory favored by the investigators, although no other idea can be excluded. 'right away'specifies the public prosecutor of Ajaccio, Nicolas Septe.
In a previous press release, and while rumors of a surrender of the suspect followed one another, the prosecutor had called “any person who has information to provide to the investigators to come forward to the Ajaccio judicial police services and not to interfere in the investigation, despite the perfectly legitimate emotion and sadness which result from this criminal act.”
Already on November 15, the manager of Lamparo was shot in the ankle, near his business, by a 20-year-old young man who was arrested and imprisoned ten days later. Due to this succession of events, the prefecture issued a two-month administrative closure order against the establishment.
