British Cousins in Custody After Valentine’s Day Stabbing in Venice
Venice, Italy – Two British cousins are in custody in Venice following a stabbing on Valentine’s Day that left an Italian man hospitalised with a life-threatening neck wound. Italian authorities say the attack occurred outside the Bussola Cocktail Lab and the victim was fortunate to survive.
Axyl Izouaouen, 19, and Adam Izouaouen, 21, both from London, are being held on suspicion of attempted murder. According to Eugenio Masino, head of the Venice Flying Squad, the wound was “very serious” and required extensive surgery. “He has dozens of stitches to his throat and if it had been a few millimetres to one side it would have sliced through his jugular vein and he would be dead,” Masino told the Daily Mail.
The incident unfolded after a dispute between the victim and the cousins, reportedly sparked by their attempts to speak with the victim’s female friend. Witnesses say the victim managed to pull the knife from his throat and discard it, but one of the alleged attackers then threw the weapon into the Canale Grande.
Police swiftly apprehended the pair, aided by surveillance footage, bar receipts, and information gleaned from their social media accounts. Investigators tracked the cousins to a flat in the Castello district of Venice, where they were found with the grandmother of one of the men’s husband. The grandmother herself was reportedly in Spain at the time of the arrest.
Authorities confirmed both men had return tickets to London scheduled for February 27th. Specialist divers are currently searching the canal for the discarded knife.
Adam Izouaouen is reportedly a law student, while his cousin, Axyl, is unemployed. Both are expected to appear in court again next month.
The case highlights the risks associated with escalating tensions in popular tourist destinations and underscores the international cooperation required to address violent crime. The investigation involved coordination with Interpol and London police.
