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Modena Priest Stabbing: 29-Year-Old Detained on Attempted Murder Charge

CCTV tracing from a city bus to the scene led to the suspect’s detention.

Overview

  • Authorities detained a 29-year-old Italian who has long been treated at a mental-health center on suspicion of attempting to kill Don Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria.
  • Investigators say surveillance video shows the assailant followed the priest from a city bus before stabbing him in the neck in central Modena.
  • Searches conducted Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 recovered a folding knife hidden in a wall and the clothing worn during the attack.
  • Prosecutors report no prior connection or clear motive and are seeking judicial validation of the detention due to concerns about dangerousness.
  • After emergency surgery at Baggiovara hospital, the priest is out of danger, and local leaders publicly condemned the assault and called for full clarity.