Rabat – Preliminary tests on the heart of Abderrahim Fakir, the Moroccan man who was killed in Bologna on July 19 while two police officers were violently restraining him, have found no signs of previous heart problems, Italian media reported.
The findings are part of a forensic investigation the Bologna Prosecutor’s Office ordered to establish the cause of Fakir’s death, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
The case is currently classified under “model 45 bis,” a preliminary file used before a formal criminal investigation is opened. The two police officers involved in restraining Fakir and four emergency responders have been entered in the register of preliminary investigations.
Among the specialists appointed by prosecutors is Cristina Basso, a pathologist and director of the cardiovascular pathology unit in Padua. The forensic examinations were carried out there in the presence of experts representing the different parties involved in the case.
An autopsy was conducted on July 24. Its main findings included the presence of fresh blood in the lungs and signs of compression.
The latest heart examination is significant because it appears to rule out an existing heart condition as a possible explanation for Fakir’s death. However, the final medical conclusions have not yet been reached.
The forensic team is still waiting for the results of toxicology and histology tests. These examinations could provide further information about whether drugs, other substances, or microscopic changes in the organs played a role in the death.
The final forensic report is expected to take several more weeks.
Fakir was killed on July 19 while two police officers were violently restraining him as they pinned him face down to the ground. Fakir, with his hands tied behind his back, was pleading for help before falling unconscious.
The circumstances of his death have prompted an investigation by Italian authorities, which is seeking to establish what happened during the restraint and determine the exact cause of death.
The two officers have since returned to work, although they have been assigned to desk duties. Their return has raised concerns among Fakir’s family, who are seeking justice and answers over the circumstances surrounding his killing.
