African street vendor shot dead in Florence, Italian suspect arrested

A man shot an African street vendor to death on Monday in Florence, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, police said.

Police arrested the 66-year-old Italian who they said had fired six pistol shots at the African as he was selling leather bags, umbrellas and trinkets near a bridge in the Tuscan city.

Police said they had found a suicide note in the suspect’s apartment and that checks on social media had shown he had a passion for guns. They did not identify the victim or suggest a motive.

Last month an Italian man with links to anti-immigrant party La Lega opened fire on African migrants in the city of Macerata, wounding six before he was captured, in what police said was a racially motivated attack.