The mayor of the hilltop Perugian town of Spoleto was attacked on Tuesday by a deranged elderly man who slashed him with a knife. Mayor Massimo Brunini was in the middle of a council meeting when an 88-year-old local, Terzilio Corinti, broke in, hurled a sack at him and slashed him in the stomach with a small kitchen knife.
The mayor was rushed to hospital where doctors said the wound was a minor one.
After the attack, Corinti fled the town hall and returned to his home in the centre of Spoleto, where he was later arrested by police.
Residents said Corinti was known for his violent behaviour and that frightened family members had repeatedly reported him to the police. The town council took a lenient view of the entire episode, issuing a statement saying that "Corinti is a very elderly person who has for some time been living in a state of strong psychological disturbance mainly due to family matters".
"He has frequently been involved in episodes of intolerance towards the mayor and other local officials on whom he evidently tries to vent his frustration," the statement said.
