This morning, in Sant’Eufemia d’Aspromonte (RC), Chief Marshal Pasquale Azzolina was commemorated with the Bronze Medal for Military Valor “in memory”. This year too, the Carabinieri felt the strong duty to remember with a moment of contemplation the memory of the comrade who lost his life in the performance of his duty. An indelible memory, a constant example in the life of every policeman, a harbinger of indications precisely at this moment in the life of the country in which the service rendered to others is more felt than ever. In addition to the family members, the highest civil, military, religious and judicial authorities of the province participated in the commemoration ceremony, in whose presence, a wreath was placed at the tombstone in the “Ponte Crasta” area of Sant’Eufemia d’Aspromonte. of laurel, in memory of the military massacre which occurred on 17 June 1996. Following this, the Holy Mass was celebrated, officiated by the military chaplain Don Aldo RIPEPI and the parish priest Don Marco LAROSA, at the Church of Sant’Ambrogio.
On 17 June 1996, at around 11pm, the soldier on duty at the Sant’Eufemia barracks, who had stayed to compile some documents, received an anonymous phone call reporting the presence of suspicious individuals near a motorbike-bee. The soldier immediately represented the facts to the station commander, Marshal Azzolina, who without hesitation, with the service car and in uniform went, together with the latter, to the indicated location. Having arrived in the locality of “Ponte Crasta”, the soldiers noticed two young local brothers, known to them, intent on dismantling parts of the engine of the Ape motorbike, abandoned following a road accident the previous day. At the sight of the police, the two brothers hid some tools inside their car parked nearby. When proceeding to check the two young people, Marshal Azzolina, who had known them well since they were boys, noted the presence of engine parts inside the car, so he invited the two brothers to follow him to the barracks and get on board the ‘military vehicle. The non-commissioned officer’s invitation was accepted by the younger brother, while it triggered the reaction of the older one, who suddenly pulled out a 7.65 cal Beretta pistol, exploding several shots at close range at the marshal. Marshal Azzolina, although hit, promptly took out his service pistol, but, before he could fire, he was hit by yet another shot, which made him fall lifeless.
The two criminals disappeared in their own car and in the hours following the crime they were arrested and brought to justice, with the active contribution of Deputy Brigadier Salvatore Coltello who was with the Marshal and was injured in the fire action. . Chief Marshal Azzolina was awarded the bronze medal for military valor “in memory”, with the following motivation: “Station Commander detached in an area characterized by a high crime rate, a sign was made, together with a military employee, of a sudden and violent shooting action by two criminals caught in the act of stealing. Although hit in several parts of the body, with great courage and great determination, he attempted to react with the weapon supplied, but hit once again in vital parts, he collapsed lifeless on the ground. Shining example of a high sense of duty and elevated military virtues, pushed to the extreme sacrifice.”
