Italy: Man kills three women in bar shootout

Rome: Three women including a friend of Italy's new prime minister were killed when a man opened fire at a cafe in Rome, injuring four other people. 

According to details, people inside the Rome café were meeting as part of a local block's residents' committee.

Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome, described the shooting as a "grave episode of violence" and said he would attend an emergency meeting on Monday.

"He came into the room, closed the door and shouted 'I'll kill you all' and then started to shoot," Italian news agency Ansa quoted another witness as saying.

He was reportedly overpowered by other residents before being detained by police.

Four other people were wounded in the shooting, with at least one of them suffering serious injuries.

A 57-year-old suspect is in custody. He has a history of disputes with some of the committee's board, reports say.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni named one of the women killed as her friend Nicoletta Golisano. The other dead women were named as Elisabetta Silenzi and Sabina Sperandio.

In a Facebook post, where she sent her condolences to Ms Golisano's family, Ms Meloni said she would always remember her friend for being "beautiful and happy".

"Nicoletta was a protective mother, a sincere and discreet friend, a woman strong and fragile at the same time," she wrote.

"But above all she was a professional with a sense of duty out of the ordinary... Nicoletta was my friend."

"It's not right to die like that," she added. "Nicoletta was happy, and beautiful, in the red dress she bought for her 50th birthday party a few weeks ago. For me she will always be beautiful and happy like that."

Ms Meloni also said that a shooting range from which the suspect had allegedly stolen the gun used in the attack had been closed and was under investigation.

Police are yet to comment on the motivation of the suspect, who has been named by the Italian press but not officially. The attack is not thought to have been political.

Reports suggest the suspect and the apartment block's board of residents have been locked in a bitter dispute for some time.

Giorgia Meloni, leader of Italy's far-right Brothers of Italy party, became the country's first female prime minister in October.

—With Additional Input from News Agencies