Forensic Analysis Reveals Responsibility in Fatal Milan Chase Incident
A recent forensic analysis has concluded that the Carabinieri police officer involved in the fatal chase of a 19-year-old Egyptian-Italian man, Ramy Elgaml, acted appropriately during the incident. The analysis, submitted by an expert appointed by the State Attorney's office in Milan, stated that the police officer charged with vehicular homicide did not unjustly pursue the vehicle and applied the brakes appropriately during the chase.
On November 24 of last year, Elgaml was on the back of a scooter driven by his 22-year-old Tunisian friend, Fares Bouzidi, when they allegedly jumped a police checkpoint due to Elgaml's lack of a valid driver's license. Both the officer and Bouzidi were involved in the ensuing chase, which spanned eight kilometers. Video evidence reviewed by investigators indicated that the police car collided with the scooter not at the end of the chase as initially suggested, but during its course.
According to the expert's report, this finding directs a significant portion of the responsibility for the tragic accident that led to Elgaml's death toward the scooter driver, Bouzidi.
Complicating matters, the video evidence also showed police officers interacting with a witness shortly after the crash, raising suspicions that they may have suggested that the witness remove incriminating evidence pertaining to the incident, as reported by the witness.
The aftermath of the incident saw heightened tensions in Corvetto, the high-crime, formerly working-class district where Elgaml lived. It subsequently ignited several days of unrest, resulting in injuries among police officers and igniting nationwide protests against police conduct in Italy.
This tragic event and its unfolding have raised serious questions about policing practices, accountability, and community relations, and it remains a focal point of public discourse as developments continue to unfold.
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