NAPLES, Italy — An Italian employee of the Navy Exchange at the U.S. Navy support site base in Gricignano is recovering from wounds suffered after being caught in the cross-fire of a shootout Monday between Italian police and suspected thieves.
The 42-year-old employee, whose name is not being released, is recovering at an Italian hospital after a stray bullet went through his car windshield and struck him in the face, U.S. and Italian officials said.
Monday’s shooting ended with three people wounded and a suspect in custody, according to the Italian newspaper Il Mattino.
Four men allegedly tried to steal a motorcycle from an off-duty Italian police officer Monday afternoon on a highway ramp near the front gate of the support site base, the paper reported.
U.S. military police were not able to respond to the incident.
“If you are on duty, you are not allowed to leave your post to respond to an incident off base, because we have no jurisdiction,” said Lt. Cmdr. Perry Suter, head of the Naval Support Activity Naples Security Department.
Although the incident happened near the base entrance, the gates never were closed, Suter said. Both the suspect and the police officer also had been shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Base officials urge people not to confront would-be thieves.
