A man in his forties who was shot by his neighbour while carrying out repairs to his roof last Monday has died in hospital from his injuries, his sister announced.
Jean-Yves Wargnies was shot in the leg and head after his neighbour became enraged by the noise.
The incident took place in Marchienne-au-Pont in Charleroi, where Wargnies was something of a local personality, after taking part in the TV talent show Star Academy and running a local tavern.
“Evidently this was a conflict between neighbours that had been going on some some time,” said Sandrine Vairon, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office in Charleroi. “The suspect said he had previously called the police to complain about the disturbance.”
The alleged shooter, 67-year-old Domenico Puddu, was originally charged with attempted murder and offences against the firearms laws. Now that the victim has died, the principal charge is likely to be changed to murder.
He has in the meantime been detained for a month. He explained to investigators that he had suffered a sudden drop in blood pressure as a result of the noise. On Monday morning at about 10.50 he went outside to ask his neighbour to stop working on the roof. When Wargnies refused Puddu went inside and fetched his pistol, firing several times in the air. Wargnies made to come down from his ladder and call the police, but Puddu stepped up on the ladder and shot Wargnies once in the leg. As the man tried to get away, Puddu followed him and shot him in the head.
The victim was rushed to hospital. Puddu later gave himself up when confronted by a heavily-armed intervention team from Charleroi police.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
