Armed robber shot dead during attempted robbery in Rome suburb.

A police investigation is underway after a 69-year-old armed robber was shot dead during the attempted robbery of a bar in an east Rome suburb on the evening of 5 November.

The shooting took place at 19.30 on Via Ciamarra, between the districts of Cinecittà Est and Romanina, when two masked robbers burst into Caffè Europeo, leaving their scooter with the engine running outside.

In the ensuing scuffle, two gunshots were allegedly fired: the first shot injured the 55-year-old Chinese bar-owner, identified as Zhou, in the leg. The second shot killed one of the robbers, an Italian named as Ennio Proietti. 

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reports that Proietti's 58-year-old accomplice, another Italian named as Enrico Antonelli, had been attempting to free his side-kick from the grip of Zhou, who reportedly jumped on Prioetti, knocking him to the ground.

Corriere della Sera also reports that after shooting Zhou in the leg, Antonelli was taking aim again but was tackled by a customer as he fired the second time.

An off-duty police officer in the bar at the time detained Antonelli as he fled the scene, while Zhou was transferred to Umberto I hospital where he is recovering from his injuries.

"My father is well, he was brave, he is a respectable person but he could not stay still", Zhou's son told Corriere della Sera.

Proietti and Antonelli were both known to police, according to local media.

Photo La Repubblica