ROME—Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s far-right party Lega Nord, has defended the actions of the restaurateur who fatally wounded a thief in the early hours of last Friday. The intruder, Romanian Petre Ungureanu, 28, was killed when a scuffle with the owner, Mario Cattaneo, triggered a fatal shot.

 The incident is currently being investigated as a potential “willful homicide” case. The long-time owner of the Osteria dei Amis, situated in Lombardy, told reporters that he “never wanted to kill anyone”.

 “I fell and then a shot fired from the rifle”.

 Cattaneo is reported to be deeply saddened and shaken by the incident.

 The pair initially had an intense struggle, which left Cattaneo with severe bruising down his right arm.

 On-site analysts have reported that the fatal shot struck the Romanian in the back. Investigators are now looking at surveillance cameras to try and piece together the details of the incident. An additional discovery was made on Monday when traces of blood were found on a nearby fence that the thief is thought to have scaled.

 The dead man’s brother, Victor, publically stated, “My family and I forgive Mario Cattaneo before God: we don’t want revenge but only justice”.

 Many people have come out in the defence of Mario Cattaneo. A collection of signatures titled, “I am with Mario”, has received sizable support. A friend of the restaurateur explained that it is meant as an expression of solidarity to Mario.

 One of the more high-profile defendants of Cattaneo’s actions is Salvini. The far-right politician took to Twitter to show his support. 

 “He defended himself, his family and his grandchildren”, said Salvini.

 “I am with Mario, I am with one who defends himself, always”.

 Leader of Forza Italia and former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, also had his take on the incident: “Tragedies like that in Lodi are a defeat for everyone”.

 “First of all for the State which is not capable of carrying out its primary function: defending the lives, the safety and the ownership of its citizens”.

 Berlusconi continued: “The responsibility of this death is not with he who defended himself but with he who first of all invaded the property of another person, and also with the State who didn’t know how to prevent it”.

 The investigation remains ongoing.