A man has been arrested on charges of aggravated arson after tearing off his court-ordered electronic ankle bracelet, violating a restraining order, and setting his ex-partner’s apartment on fire in the Cinecittà area of Rome. The incident forced the evacuation of an entire apartment building housing dozens of residents.
The suspect, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was placed under arrest by the State Police. The events began when, several days ago, the man removed the monitoring device and went to the home of his ex-partner, the mother of his eight-month-old child, whom he had been prohibited from approaching. After she barricaded herself inside with their infant, he attempted to kick the door down and threatened to kill her. He managed to flee before police, alerted after the victim called the 112 emergency number, could arrive.
The woman and child had sought refuge at a friend’s home for their safety. The following day, the man returned and ignited the unoccupied apartment.
The investigation, led by the Flying Squad and officers from the Romanina police station, was initiated following a fire report for a building on Via Pietro Marchisio. CCTV footage from the building was crucial, capturing the suspect leaving the premises moments before flames engulfed the apartment. Investigators tracked him down near Piazza Mancini, where he was still wearing the same clothing seen in the surveillance videos.
In response to his actions, the judicial authority has significantly heightened the restrictive measure against him, ordering pre-trial detention in prison.