"I shot out of fear": the Cinturrino case that shakes Rogoredo and the Police

A gunshot, on Impastato Street in the woods of Rogoredo. The shot was fired from the gun of Carmelo Cinturrino and hit Abderrahim Mansouri, 28 years old, turning an operation against drug dealing into a judicial case. Weeks later, the assistant chief continues to repeat: "I shot out of fear, I didn't want to kill." But the documents of the investigation tell another story, a harsher, more complex one. And today, while the Court of Review in Milan evaluates the request to soften the precautionary measure, the file has expanded.

One fact, many versions

According to the now well-known reconstruction, on January 26, 2026, the assistant chief of the Mecenate Police Station, Carmelo Cinturrino, allegedly fired a shot "for intimidation purposes" from a distance estimated at about 30 meters, while Mansouri was trying to get away. The initial hypothesis of self-defense – based on the alleged presence of a gun in the victim's possession – has been disproven by investigations: the weapon found was a blank-firing replica and, according to investigators, it would have been placed at the scene later. During hearings, some colleagues reported not seeing any gun near the body; one of them stated that he had told Cinturrino to "leave Mansouri alone" just minutes before the shooting.

Complicating the picture are also the accounts of visitors to the Rogoredo area who speak of alleged extortion demands made by Cinturrino to drug dealers: 200 euros and 5 grams of cocaine per day to be able to continue "working" undisturbed. A portrayal that the accused strongly denies.

The charges and the status of the procedure

Today, after the postponement caused by a recent bomb threat at the Court of Justice that hindered access to the file by the new defense attorneys, the request to replace prison with house arrest is being discussed before the Review Court. Cinturrino has been detained at San Vittore since February 23; against him, the charge is intentional homicide, with aggravating factors under review by the Prosecutor's Office, while four of his colleagues are being investigated for alleged aiding and abetting and failure to assist. The Prosecutor's Office and the preliminary investigating judge in Milan have so far described the assistant chief as uncooperative and prone to "intimidation methods," believing that the "intent to kill" exists.

On the possible aggravating factor of premeditation – mentioned in some reconstructions – utmost caution is required: at this stage, this aspect is subject to ongoing evaluations and has not been crystallized into an irrevocable decision. In legal terms, any premeditation implies a significant interval between the criminal intent and its execution and a determination that knows no second thoughts: an aggravation that judges ascertain on a case-by-case basis.

“I shot out of fear”: the defense line

From the very first statements, Cinturrino has claimed that he “shot out of fear,” stating that he saw a movement and reacted with an “intimidating” shot. From prison, he wrote a letter expressing remorse and apologizing to the victim's family and the Police, reiterating that he has never taken money or drugs from anyone. His lawyers speak of a “tragedy that involves everyone” and urge the media to exercise caution, stating that they are acquiring “defensive elements” to dismantle the accusatory theses.

On the other side, the family of Abderrahim Mansouri, through their lawyers, rejects the frame of “error” and demands that “the whole truth be told,” reminding that “killing is not a mistake.” Clear words that depict a deep emotional fracture and an expectation of justice that is non-negotiable.

The investigations expand: Corvetto and the hypothesis of control of the area

In recent weeks, the investigation, coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office of Milan and entrusted to the Mobile Squad, has also extended to the area of Corvetto, with the acquisition of videos and testimonies regarding previous conduct of the chief assistant. Among the lines of inquiry, there is also the possible motive related to the “control of the area” of Rogoredo: a delicate criminal balance in which the actions of a single agent could have altered power dynamics and “protection.” Numerous witnesses have been heard: pushers, drug addicts, contextual figures. An investigative mosaic that will require technical and procedural verifications.

The colleagues, the statements, and the “crime scene”

The statements of the colleagues present or who immediately intervened on Via Impastato weigh like stones: some recount having felt fear of Cinturrino's reactions even in the days that followed, some speak of pressures to "maintain the same line," and some report not having seen any gun next to Mansouri's body during the crucial moments. In parallel, the hypothesis of a staging – with the placement of a blank gun near the victim – has been described multiple times by investigators and reported by the press, while tests on the DNA of the toy gun have added further pieces to decipher.