Footage quickly circulated on social media and appeared on the front pages of the entire Italian press on Friday morning, October 17. The images showed the charred remains of a car in front of a damaged gate. They were filmed by RAI journalist Sigfrido Ranucci, host of the investigative show Report, which is known for exposing corruption scandals in Italy. Around 10 pm on Thursday night, Ranucci heard two loud explosions outside his home in the southern suburbs of Rome. One of the blasts targeted a vehicle his daughter had borrowed just minutes earlier.

Fortunately, the journalist was unharmed and no one was injured, but the events of that night marked a worrying escalation. On Friday morning, Ranucci condemned the “climate of isolation and delegitimization” he said he is experiencing, revealing a recent increase in threats against him. The anti-mafia division of Rome has now opened an investigation.

The journalist said he found “two P38 bullets” outside his home. This German pistol model, manufactured by Walther, is a grim symbol of the violence that marked Italy’s “Years of Lead” in the 1970s – a period defined by deadly far-right attacks, targeted assassinations and armed assaults by the far left, which continue to haunt the country’s collective memory. The attack quickly sparked a wave of condemnation from politicians, from the far right to the left. In a statement, Giorgia Meloni expressed her “full solidarity” with Ranucci.

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