Stabbing in Lugano leaves 19-year-old fighting for life, 20-year-old held

A 19-year-old man, an Afghan national living in the Lugano area, was stabbed in Lugano during the night of 21 to 22 August. He is in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The attack took place shortly before 2 a.m. on Via Pelli. According to the public prosecutor's office and the cantonal police, a man struck the young man with a bladed weapon and then fled. Cantonal police, Lugano city police and paramedics from Croce Verde Lugano responded to the scene, gave first aid to the victim and took him to hospital. Doctors found serious, life-threatening injuries.

In the hours after the attack, investigators identified and detained a 20-year-old Italian national living in Italy. His position is still being reviewed by the authorities, who still need to establish exactly what happened and who is responsible.

The investigation is led by public prosecutor Roberto Ruggeri. The main hypothesis is attempted murder; alternatively, investigators are considering grievous bodily harm and a violation of the law on weapons.

The second incident in a week

It is the second serious violent incident in the area within a few days. During the night of 14 to 15 August, a 24-year-old Iraqi national living in the Lugano area was stabbed on Via Pelloni, in the Molino Nuovo district, not far from Via Pelli. In that case too, the victim's injuries were life-threatening, and police detained a 20-year-old Italian national. That investigation, then led by public prosecutor Zaccaria Akbas, considered attempted murder and a violation of the federal law on narcotics.

Authorities have not said whether the two incidents are connected.