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Three police officers were killed and no fewer than 15 additional individuals got wounded in what appears to be intentional blast caused by gas at a country home in northern Italy.

How It Happened

The detonation occurred as officers and emergency crews entered the residence in the vicinity of Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for two brothers and a sister who were older adults.

Each of the three deceased individuals were members of the Carabinieri military police.

Legal Proceedings

Two individuals were taken into custody at the site and another man who ran away subsequent to the blast was found shortly later. The trio have been transported to medical facility.

The detonation could be noticed approximately 5 kilometers away and photographs from the location showed the property turned into a mass of wreckage.

“We are in a period of mourning,” said the Minister of the Interior Minister Piantedosi, who noted that previous tries had been made to remove the three siblings in the past.

Property Situation

The leader of the Veneto area, President Zaia, stated the residence was subject to an eviction order due to debts accumulated by the siblings.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to speak to the brothers and sister who had locked themselves into the house. When the officers reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities suspect a family member set off the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” provincial police commander Commander Papagno informed news outlets.

“A gas cylinder had been set off, and the blast immediately struck our members,” he said.

Incendiary devices were also found at the site, the Interior Minister stated.

Injuries and Destruction

Those injured by the explosion comprised eleven more officers of the police force as well as a trio of personnel of national police and a fire services member.

As stated by the local prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a derelict state and had was without power.

He believed the detonation had happened on a story above the doorway and stated to the press it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Moments before the explosion, he said personnel had “noticed a hissing sound, likely the gas cylinders being activated”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” local residents stated to Italian media, noting that the family members had previously threatened to “cause an explosion” rather than be evicted.

“The explosion had left a ‘terrible, very painful and dramatic toll’.”

Defence Minister the Defence Minister stood alongside other political leaders in honoring the three officers who had been killed in the performance of their duties.