Police officers injured with hammers at a service area, one seriously.

A serious episode of violence against law enforcement occurred this morning at a highway service area in the Biellese region. A 26-year-old French man, Kelvin Stephane Crochon, attacked two Highway Police officers with a hammer after they had escorted him to the Viverone south service area following an accident. The man repeatedly struck the officers in the head, injuring both.

In self-defense, the two officers opened fire, hitting the assailant. One of the officers, struck in the back of the head, is in serious condition, while the other sustained less severe injuries. The attacker was transported in critical condition to the CTO in Turin with an abdominal wound. The Santhià highway spur was closed to traffic. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi expressed solidarity with the involved police officers.

The incident fits into the pattern of attacks against law enforcement, a phenomenon that in recent years has seen numerous cases of violence during routine checks or interventions. These attacks often occur in seemingly ordinary contexts, such as highway service areas, transforming control situations into scenarios of extreme danger.

The typical dynamic involves officers engaged in institutional duties confronting individuals who react in a disproportionate and violent manner, sometimes after minor crimes like car thefts. The legitimate use of firearms by law enforcement represents the last resort for self-defense when the lives of officers are in immediate danger. The Minister of the Interior systematically intervenes in these cases to reaffirm institutional support for the uniformed personnel and the firm condemnation of any form of violence against those who protect public safety.