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Italy Macerata drive-by attack: Foreigners targeted, say police

At least six people have been wounded in a series of drive-by shootings in a town in central Italy, and one man has been arrested, police and media say.

Those targeted in Macerata were black immigrants, media said.

The suspect, named locally as Luca Traini, 28, had an Italian flag wrapped around his neck when he was detained.

He had taken part in regional elections for the anti-immigration Northern League last year and reportedly made a fascist salute when he was captured.

Mr Traini, who is from the surrounding Le Marche region, did not resist when he was detained near the town's war memorial and is now being questioned. Police found a gun in his car.

The mayor had warned people to stay indoors during incident, which saw shootings across a number of locations.

The victims are being treated in hospital. At least one of them is said to be in a serious condition.

The shooting began at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), La Repubblica website reports. The gunman was captured two hours later, after fleeing from the car on foot near the town's war memorial.

Video of the moment he was apprehended was published by local website, Il Resto del Carlino, showing a white bald man draped in an Italian tricolour being escorted away by police.

Italian police also tweeted a photo of the moment of capture, saying one of the wounded had required surgery.

Shots had been fired in the Via Spalato and Via dei Velini parts of town, two key areas in an investigation into the murder of an 18-year-old girl whose body was found dismembered and hidden in two suitcases last Wednesday.

A 29-year-old Nigerian male migrant has been detained over the killing of Pamela Mastropietro.

Several racist comments calling for revenge attacks were posted on the Facebook page of the victim's mother in the run up to Saturday's shootings, Ansa reports.

Local reports are linking the two incidents.

Right-wing politicians have been using Pamela Mastropietro's killing to promote their anti-migrant message as part of their campaign for next month's general election.

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has temporarily suspended campaigning over the shootings.

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