A very tragic moment was caught on video of a Nigerian vendor being beaten to death in Italy, fueling national conversations about racism and crimes against migrants.
Alika Ogorchukwu, 39, was chased, beaten with his crutch, and killed with someone’s bare hands, leaving no room for an explanation. The violent attack was caught on video with no bystanders stepping in, only verbally expressing the wrongdoing of the crime.
In the graphic video, one woman yells, “stop, stop immediately,” while a man yells, “You are killing him.”
After the video was posted online, Italian media published the horrific crime.
Filippo Ferlazzo, 32, has been arrested for murder and robbery in connection to the crime. By the time paramedics arrived on the scene, Ogorchukwu was pronounced dead. When police arrived, they said the incident was likely not “racially motivated” but due to “petty reasons.”
Despite the brutal attack, Ferlazzo’s attorneys allege that the 32-year-old man has “psychiatric issues, and they intend to file a psychiatric report.”
The Nigerian embassy commented on the killing, saying, “the incident occurred on a busy street and in front of shocked onlookers, some of whom made videos of the attack, with little or no attempt to prevent it.”
And now, the embassy and Italian authorities are working together to get justice for Ogorchukwu and find out why no one intervened.
Ogorchukwu was a vendor who sold small things like tissue, lighters, and tissue paper. He used crutches to get around after being run over by a car last year while on his bicycle.
The mayor of Civitanova Marche will pay for all funeral expenses and start a fundraiser to help his widow and 8-year-old son.
