Shooting: Car races through gate in Vatican City – Man arrested

A car crashed into Vatican City on Thursday evening. The Holy See said the car reached the Vatican’s eastern Sant’Anna entrance gate and broke through two controlled gates by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican State Gendarmerie Corps at high speed. First the car approached and was turned away by the Swiss police. After a maneuver, it turned and ran into the Vatican.

In an attempt to stop the car, one of the Vatican’s forces fired his pistol at the front tires of the vehicle. Although he hit the vehicle on the left front fender, the car continued to drive. The car, meanwhile, reached the interior behind the gate and the Cortile di San Damaso, the central courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. The driver left the scene without asking and was arrested by emergency services.

The nearly 40-year-old man was immediately examined by a doctor – doctors from the Vatican State Department of Health found “psychological changes” in him. According to the Holy See, the man is now being held at the Vatican Gendarmerie Barracks.

It was initially unclear whether Pope Francis was around during the incident. Francis lives on the other side of Vatican City at Casa Santa Marta, which is also the Vatican’s guest house. Normally, at the time of the incident, he would have his dinner and retire to his room around 8:00 pm. The Apostolic Palace is guarded 24 hours a day by Swiss Guards and police officers at various checkpoints.

(DPA/To)See comments