21-year-old Italian tourist attacked in Barcelona: he is in a coma in intensive care

A 21-year-old young man from Asolo (Treviso), Nicola Maggiotto, is hospitalized in intensive care, in a medically induced coma, in a hospital in Barcelona (Spain) due to injuries sustained in an attack suffered on Wednesday night while he was on holiday with a group of eight other peers.

This was reported to ANSA by the father, Daniele Maggiotto, who went to the Spanish city with his wife to assist his son. According to the reconstruction provided by the young man's friends, the event occurred shortly after 10pm outside a club from which the group had just left after spending a few hours. Approached by a dozen other people, also young, Spanish-speaking, two of the Italians who had momentarily distanced themselves were apparently attacked and the 21-year-old was violently hit on the back of the head, losing consciousness.

The perpetrators then started a fight with the other Italians who rushed to the rescue of the two and then left before the police and rescuers arrived. Nicola Maggiotto, again according to what was reported by his father, would have been diagnosed with brain lesions and the prognosis is reserved. A friend who attempted to defend himself instead suffered an injury to his cheekbone, which required a few stitches to treat, and was discharged a few hours later. The attack did not have the aim of stealing money or other goods, because nothing appears to have been stolen from the victims' objects or wallets.