Vatican Palace Courtyard Breached, Gunfire Erupts.

Breaking News: Gunfire Breaks Out at Vatican as Palace Courtyard Is Breached

A high-speed trespasser at the Vatican was met with gunfire from the city-state’s security forces on Thursday evening.

A vehicle smashed through St. Anna’s Gate and into Vatican City, reaching a palace courtyard. Vatican gendarmes shot at the vehicle’s wheels in a bid to stop the trespasser. The driver was ultimately apprehended when he fled the car in the courtyard. The trespasser has been described as a man in his 40s but has not been publicly identified.

There are no indications that anyone was injured during the disturbance. The trespasser’s motives in breaching the grounds of the Vatican are unclear.

Vatican security had earlier denied the driver access to the city-state, as he lacked authorization. Vatican officials later described the man as being in a “serious state of psychophysical alteration.”

After questioning and ascertaining his condition, the driver was taken to a hospital in Rome for mental health treatment.

The Vatican has a long-standing arrangement with Italian authorities in which those who commit crimes in the city-state can be punished under the Italian system.

The Swiss Guards, the city-state’s de facto military known for their colorful uniforms, are armed with military-style firearms such as submachine guns and rifles.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

• Breaking news from Vatican: A man in his 40’s drove a car at high speed towards the Vatican, smashing through St. Anna’s Gate and into Vatican City. Swiss guard shot at his front tires but he continued into the courtyard past Vatican Bank. He got out of his vehicle and was…

Source: The Western Journal