Manneh Nafugi, an 18-year-old asylum seeker from Gambia, fell into a coma and died on May 2 following a physical altercation with other migrants in the small Italian town of Canelli.

Initial reconstruction of altercation by carabinieri and witnesses

The altercation broke out in the center of Canelli around 6 p.m. on April 30.

It began with insults, then progressed into pushing. Sticks and a bike chain were eventually used.

Nafugi, who was accompanied by other Gambians, allegedly tried to defend himself but was overcome by the attacks and fell to the ground unconscious.

While the attackers fled, the 18-year-old was taken to a local hospital, where he died on the morning of May 2.

"They followed us and yelled at us that 'now we have found you'. Then they began screaming in their language," one of the friends of the victim present during the attack said.

"Then that Pakistani man arrived on a bicycle. There were three of them and we tried to separate them. However, at a certain point the Pakistani man took out the chain" and threatened to kill Nafugi.

"We tried to get his hands off that chain but we did not manage," the victim's friend said.

A 34-year-old man of Pakistani origin allegedly took part in the brawl. Carabinieri say he was one of a group of around five attackers. Another Pakistani man has been placed under investigation but has not been arrested.

Victim and attackers had fought inside migrant center before

Surveillance cameras in the area recorded the entire incident and are currently in police custody.

Everyone involved in the brawl lived in the CAS migrant center in Cassinasco, on the hills surrounding Canelli.

Investigators say the brawl occurred after arguments had erupted between the victim and the group of Pakistanis some days before over the management of the kitchen in the center.

The carabinieri are in the process of investigating the case.