1979
May 3, Rome
Antonio Mea, 33 years old, Police Brigadier
Pierino Ollanu, 25 years old, Police Corporal

On May 3, 1979, during the initial phase of the political campaign for the parliamentary elections, a commando of at least 13 members of the Red Brigades attacked the regional committee headquarters for the Lazio region of the Christian Democracy party in Rome, located in Piazza Nicosia. The brigatists acted in three groups: two groups of militants, led respectively by Bruno Seghetti and Prospero Gallinari, entered the party headquarters and occupied the first and second floors, while the group led by Francesco Piccioni remained in the square to counter any intervention by law enforcement. After immobilizing those present, the brigatists from Seghetti’s group placed four explosive devices inside the building and fled with files and documents. Meanwhile, Gallinari, positioned at the entrance of the DC headquarters, and the hit squad led by Piccioni had to confront a patrol from the 1st District Police (radio call sign “DELTA 19”) that arrived, riddling their vehicle with machine gun fire. Certainly firing were Piccioni’s Kalashnikov and Anna Laura Braghetti’s M12. Brigadier Antonio Mea died instantly, while officer Pierino Ollanu died on May 10 from the injuries sustained. A third officer, Vincenzo Ammirata, was injured. Investigations conducted by the DIGOS led to the identification of the perpetrators, who were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. Two members of the group, Antonio Savasta and Emilia Libera, were arrested in 1982 by NOCS agents in Padua during an operation to free the American General James Lee Dozier, who had been kidnapped by terrorists.