ROME -- A 75-year-old man in Padua committed suicide by jumping from his balcony after shooting at a group of students police have reported. 

  The group of students had been celebrating a graduation at a house facing the man’s residence on the evening of Saturday, 20 July. Irritated by the students’ festivities, which had continued past midnight, the 75-year-old drew his gun and fired from a range of 40 metres. 

   The echo of a gunshot was heard by students shortly after midnight. Three of the partygoers, two 26-year-olds and one 22-year-old, began bleeding from their arms, hit by the gunfire. 

  Carabinieri attended the scene and, using information from their system, pinpointed the 75-year-old man as the only inhabitant in the vicinity with a gun license. Officers then visited the man’s house, finding the gun resting on a table on the balcony, along with the cartridges, including the one used against the students. 

  The man immediately confessed to the Carabinieri, justifying his actions by claiming he was annoyed by the celebrations which continued after midnight. The three wounded partygoers were treated in hospital for their injuries.

  The 75-year-old had was then reported for dangerous outbursts, the illegal possession of weapons and specifically ammunition, the failure to keep a weapon, and personal injury. 

  Several hours later, officers returned to the scene after the 75-year-old man committed suicide. According to investigators' reconstructions, the man was about to go for lunch with his wife and daughter when he left the kitchen, went onto the same balcony where he had previously fired the shots, and jumped. Police found a suicide note left for his family. 

  Padua’s rapid response team and forensic police attended the scene after a passerby alerted authorities.

  The public prosecutor’s office is set to open an investigation into the suicide.

lw