The incident left three officers injured and tragic consequences for the animals involved. The stampede occurred in a high-traffic area, surprising drivers and pedestrians. According to sources, two carabinieri and a policewoman were injured to varying degrees while trying to intercept and stop the out-of-control horses on the road.
The severity of the injuries varies among those affected; according to the newspaper La Repubblica, one of the injured officers has a broken rib and a lung contusion, while the policewoman suffered multiple bruises and abrasions on her face. The impact on the animals was also significant. About 15 horses were slightly injured during their desperate escape on the road, in plain view of drivers trying to avoid them.
However, one of the horses bore the worst of it, as due to the severity of the injuries sustained during the race, it had to be sacrificed. The shocking images of the horses dodging vehicles and running through traffic quickly went viral, as numerous videos recorded by drivers and passersby spread widely across social media.
The Local Police of Rome, in close collaboration with the Carabinieri, have initiated the necessary procedures to achieve a "complete and precise reconstruction of the events." Currently, the main hypothesis is that the animals panicked after hearing the explosion of fireworks or firecrackers.
Authorities are focusing their investigations on the origin of the detonations: "The checks also aim to determine whether the explosions occurred at a single point or at different locations simultaneously," official sources have reported. One of the most controversial lines of investigation, suggested by the Roman press, indicates that the fireworks may have been ignited by one or more individuals belonging to the forces participating in the June 2 ceremony.