On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, three Italian police officers were killed when siblings inside a farmhouse near Verona, Italy set off gas canisters during an eviction attempt. The explosion in Castel d’Azzano, about six miles southwest of Verona, demolished the two-story building and was audible up to three miles away.
The deceased officers, part of the Carabinieri military police, were identified as Lieutenant Special Charge Marco Piffari, Carabiniere Select Davide Bernardello, and Brigadier Chief Special Qualification Valerio Dapra. Fifteen other law enforcement officials were injured, including 11 Carabinieri, three state police officers, and one firefighter.
Authorities apprehended three siblings on site—Dino, Franco, and Maria Luisa Rampini, aged in their late 50s and mid-60s—who are now under investigation for premeditated murder. The Rampini family had been contesting foreclosure proceedings on their family farm, arguing the actions were unjust.
The eviction operation started shortly after 3:00 a.m. local time, with officials ready for possible resistance. Regional governor Luca Zaia stated that the farmhouse had been intentionally filled with gas, and the explosion occurred when officers opened the door. Verona’s Carabinieri commander, Colonel Claudio Pagano, called the event “an absolutely crazy gesture,” confirming that the officers were targeted by a gas tank explosion while executing a judicial order.
Chief prosecutor Raffaele Tito informed reporters that the eviction was meticulously planned, but the violent response was hard to foresee. Officers reportedly heard a whistle just before the explosion, likely from gas cylinders being opened. The blast originated from a floor above the entrance, and petrol bombs were also found at the site.
This was the second attempt to evict the siblings from the property. An earlier effort in 2024 was halted after threats from the Rampinis to detonate the house. Deputy mayor Antonello Panuccio stated that officials were aware the attic was filled with gas and had planned the operation with ambulances on standby, anticipating injuries but not an explosion of this scale.
Prosecutor Tito described the farmhouse as derelict and without electricity. The siblings had occupied the abandoned property approximately one year ago, following foreclosure proceedings that took their agricultural business and land. In a video from the 2024 eviction attempt, Maria Luisa Rampini told Corriere della Sera that authorities had seized their farm and were now targeting the house.
In the same footage, she declared, “Today they wanted to carry out the eviction. We are opposing it in every way. We have filled the house with gas to be able to fight.” Neighbors told Italian media they were aware of the situation and that the siblings had previously threatened to blow themselves up rather than vacate.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi noted that mediators were dispatched to negotiate with the barricaded siblings. He emphasized that authorities anticipated resistance, given prior failed eviction attempts. Piantedosi described the explosion as having a terrible, painful, and dramatic toll.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto honored the fallen officers, extending condolences to their families on behalf of the defense forces. He stated the officers sacrificed their lives fulfilling their duty to the country. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and offered condolences on behalf of the government.
The Carabinieri serve as a national militarized police force in Italy and are integral to law enforcement nationwide. The incident in Castel d’Azzano is one of the deadliest attacks on Italian law enforcement in recent years, occurring during a routine execution of a judicial eviction order.
