The officers were shot after they apprehended two suspected robbers on Friday and brought them into head office for questioning.
The Italian media is reporting that the two suspects were brothers and had been accused of stealing a scooter.
It is believed that one of the robbers asked to use the bathroom before stealing a gun from an officer and shooting him. A shootout ensued, in which the two deceased officers – along with three further police and one of the robbers – was injured.
Ieri a #Trieste Matteo e Pierluigi sono stati uccisi a colpi di pistola durante il loro turno di volante
Cristiano è stato ferito
La loro scomparsa lascia un profondo senso di vuoto nei nostri cuori
A voi tutti il nostro GRAZIE per l’affetto e vicinanza che ci state dimostrando pic.twitter.com/5v4et8UIdv— Polizia di Stato (@poliziadistato) October 5, 2019
The robbers managed to escape, although they were both later apprehended by police.
The officers have been named as Pierluigi Rotta, 34, and Matteo De Menego, 31. Both were seriously wounded in the shootout, later succumbing to their injuries in hospital.
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The Mayor of Trieste, Orlando Pocci, told Italian media that the incident was a “tragedy which leaves our community speechless”.
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