May 12, 1980: Mestre
Alfredo Albanese, 33 years old, Chief Commissioner of Public Security
Alfredo Albanese was the head of the anti-terrorism section of the Venetian State Police, holding the rank of deputy commissioner. After graduating in law from Bari in 1971, he joined Public Security in 1975 following a brief stint as a municipal secretary in Candia Canavese. He was immediately assigned to the Venice Police Headquarters. In 1977, he became the director of the 3rd Police District in Mestre and then moved to the Venetian DIGOS (Division of General Investigations and Special Operations) in 1979, becoming the head of the Anti-Terrorism section and later chief commissioner. At the time of his death, Albanese was deeply involved in investigations into the murder of Sergio Gori, the vice-president of Montedison, an inquiry that was expanding to include arms trafficking and the involvement of militant left-wing groups, primarily linked to the Red Brigades and Autonomia Operaia.
On the morning of May 12, 1980, Albanese was attacked by a group of armed men immediately after leaving his home on Via Comelico. Despite suffering numerous injuries, he did not die immediately but succumbed to his wounds in the ambulance while being transported to the Umberto I Polyclinic. The attack was claimed by a brigatista group, first through a phone call and later with a flyer left in a trash bin. The investigation into the murder quickly led to the discovery of two brigatista hideouts, one in Jesolo and one in Udine. Several individuals connected to the Red Brigades were arrested in connection with the murder.
The Court of Assizes of Venice handed down severe sentences to the members of the commando and the terrorists associated with the two discovered hideouts: life imprisonment for Marco Fasoli, Nadia Ponti, Marinella Ventura, and Vincenzo Guagliardo; 16 years and 6 months for Emanuela Bugitti and 16 years for Massimo Gidoni; another commando member, Marina Bono, was sentenced to 13 years and 7 months, while 16 years were also imposed on Vittorio Oliviero, Mario Moretti, and Michele Galati; five years for Sandro Galletta and four years for Andrea Varisco. Ventura was granted a pardon in December 1997 by President of the Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. Bono was released in 1986, and Oliviero and Galati were released in 1987.