A 17-year-old soccer hooligan has been formally placed under investigation on suspicion that he was responsible for the death of a police officer during a soccer riot here last Friday.
Police said a more detailed statement would be released later on Thursday.
Well-informed sources said the development came after special investigators, who had bene viewing video footage of the riot, handed over the result of their findings.
The new of the investigation coincided with a visit to the juvenile court by Catania flying squad police chief Giovanni Signer.
When asked by the press if there had been a breakthrough in the investigation, he replied: "Well, if I've come here...".
Filippo Raciti, 38, received fatal internal injuries as fans fought police with metal bars and powerful firecrackers during the Sicilian Serie A derby between Catania and Palermo.
According investigators, the policeman was attacked by a group of fans at around 19.20, during the second half of the soccer match.
After being hit in the abdomen, Raciti apparently did not realise the seriousness of his injury and continued his work outside the stadium.
Some 50 minutes later was inside a police car when rioting intensified and firecrackers were thrown.
According to the reconstruction, Raciti then emerged from the car, a paper bomb exploded and he sank to the ground.
Investigators say it took this long for the effect of his injury to become apparent.
He died later in hospital of liver injuries, leaving a wife and two children.
On Wednesday, police said they had video footage which apparently showed a young fan hitting Raciti with a wash basin ripped out of the lavatories in the north end of the Catania soccer stadium.
