Son of an alleged Italian mafia leader gunned down in Napoli celebrations

Amidst wild celebrations, as Napoli won Serie A for the first time in 33 years, Vincenzo Costanzo was shot and killed yesterday, May 4.

Vincenzo Costanzo was the son of Maurizio Costanzo, who is believed to be a prominent member of the Neapolitan mafia in Ponticelli, who are currently engaged in inter-clan fighting. There were other brawls and injuries but only one fatality. Police report that Costanzo died in hospital from gunshot wounds.

Rai Radio1 posted a video of the wild celebrations on Twitter saying:

“The night is tinged with blue: fireworks, carousels, thousands of people in the streets. A great celebration also marked by incidents with one dead from gunshots, Vincenzo Costanzo, 26, and numerous injuries”.

#Napoli #Scudetto La notte si tinge d'azzurro: fuochi d'artificio, caroselli, migliaia di persone per strada. Una grande festa segnata anche da incidenti con un morto per colpi d'arma da fuoco, Vincenzo Costanzo, 26 anni e numerosi feriti
Giuseppe Lisi #GR1#Napul3 pic.twitter.com/Lud8qDAG9S

— Rai Radio1 (@Radio1Rai) May 5, 2023

There were over 100 people injured in the celebrations, with various regions of Italy famous for firing gunshots in the air as a means of celebration. It is yet to be established whether 26-year-old Costanzo was targeted or accidentally shot.

A 1-1 draw against Udinese saw the Napoli football team win the title for the first time since 1990, when Diego Maradona was still a part of the team. Tens of thousands of fans then flooded the streets of Naples in wild celebration.

Amongst those injured in the celebrations were people hospitalised with knife wounds, and as a result of various outbreaks of fighting and firework injuries. One woman is in hospital with critical injuries having been hit by a car.

As the Napoli team began to look likely to win the title, referred to as the Scudetto, local communities invested in decorations and party planning. Exciting times for Napoli fans, but a concern for police who took measures such as banning various motor vehicles from the streets in the hope of minimising the risk to celebratory fans.

Although the Udinese match was an away game, many fans were watching the game on big screens in the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples and then, after maybe collecting some turf from the pitch as some fans were seen to do, the party began.

ESPN FC posted pictures of a turf-collecting fan on Twitter:

“Napoli fans were really digging up and keeping bits of turf after their title win”.

Napoli fans were really digging up and keeping bits of turf after their title win 😅 pic.twitter.com/Md6wHHJxeQ

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 5, 2023

The Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, referring to the death of Vincenzo Costanzo was quoted in the Guardian as saying: “This death is related to dynamics that have nothing to do with the celebrations… It was probably a settling of scores that took advantage of the party.”