Honduras arrests five in mob killing of Italian man
Honduran police said Friday they've arrested five people suspected in the killing of an Italian man, who was lynched by a mob of over 600 villagers at his home in the southern part of the country.
He was mobbed in revenge for allegedly murdering a homeless man, according to local officials.
An angry crowd barged into the residence of 65-year-old Giorgio Scanu, a retired engineer, attacking him with stones, sticks and machetes.
Police were present at the scene, but could not stop the murder due to the size of the mob. They said parts of Scanu's residence and a vehicle were set on fire.
Scanu allegedly beat a 78-year-old homeless man to death on Wednesday for damaging the plants in his garden, according to police reports based on complaints from local residents.
The homeless man's brother told Reuters he had a mental illness, but did not cause any harm to others.
Authorities are now searching for others involved in Scanu’s lynching.
