Italian MP’s Gun Incident at New Year’s Eve Party Sparks Legal and Political Firestorm
Rosazza, Italy – May 30, 2025 – A New Year’s Eve shooting at a party in Rosazza, organized by a friend of Francesca Delmastro, mayor of Rosazza and sister of Undersecretary for Justice Andrea Delmastro, continues to reverberate through Italian politics and courts. On December 31, 2023, a shot fired from a North American Arms LR22 mini-pistol owned by Brothers of Italy (FdI) MP Emanuele Pozzolo injured Luca Campana, a 31-year-old son-in-law of a member of Delmastro’s security detail. The incident, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. at the Pro Loco hall, has led to an ongoing investigation by Biella prosecutors, with significant developments reported as recently as May 29, 2025.
During a court hearing in Biella on May 29, 2025, Andrea Delmastro testified, “I wasn’t in that room,” claiming he was outside loading his car with leftover food when the shot was fired. He reiterated to Agenzia Nova and Corriere della Sera that he was unaware Pozzolo was armed, expressing shock: “I told him to come, but I never imagined he would bring a gun.” However, Pozzolo, in a May 2025 statement to Report on Rai 3, contradicted Delmastro’s account, suggesting he was present, marking a significant rift within FdI.
Pozzolo, who arrived after midnight following New Year’s celebrations with his family, admitted owning the gun but denied firing it, initially invoking parliamentary immunity to avoid a stub test. Subsequent reports confirmed he tested positive for gunshot residue on January 1, 2024. DNA evidence revealed three individuals handled the weapon: Pozzolo, Pablito Morello (Delmastro’s bodyguard), and Morello’s son, Maverick, who stated he picked up the gun post-shot to prevent further harm, handing it to his father for safekeeping.
Francesca Delmastro, who left the party after midnight, described the incident as “absolutely incredible” to Sky TG24, emphasizing that both she and her brother were absent during the shooting. The incident has drawn sharp criticism, with Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein calling FdI members a “danger to security” and urging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to act. Meloni’s party dismissed the event’s “political relevance,” but the Biella Prefecture revoked Pozzolo’s gun license in January 2024.
The investigation continues, with ballistics tests pending to clarify how the shot was fired. Political fallout persists, amplified by posts on X, such as @DomaniGiornale’s note on Pozzolo’s immunity claim and @reportrai3’s coverage of Delmastro’s testimony. The case highlights tensions within FdI and broader concerns about firearm regulations among public officials, with no resolution yet on Pozzolo’s culpability.