‘This Was A Long Time Coming’: Għaxaq Father Who Shot And Killed Son Reported Assault Evening Before Murder
A father accused of murdering his son has revealed he was attacked by his son the day before the macabre incident, in a revealing court testimony detailing a history of violence between the pair.
Salvu Dalli, the 68-year-old man from Għaxaq charged with the murder, opened up about what led to the horrific incident in court today.
“This was a long time coming,” Salvu Dalli, known as ‘Danger Man‘, said in court today, recounting how the relationship with his 37-year-old son Antoine Dalli soured over the last few months, TVM reported. He has pleaded not guilty to wilful homicide.
“I shot him – do you know if he is still alive?” Dalli had asked police inspectors who first arrived on the scene in Għaxaq after the shooting.
Dalli said that since June, things between them had gone south, with his son allegedly threatening to kill him and saying that if he ends up in prison, he has friends inside who can pay him back. Saying that police had failed to take action on these threats, Dalli recounted what had happened the morning of 7th August.
According to Dalli, that morning Antoine had arrived outside his home in Triq il-Gudja on a bicycle.
CCTV footage captured Antoine leaving the bike in front of the home’s garage at around 10:51am before he allegedly began shouting and offending his father from outside his home.
Soon afterwards, Antoine allegedly forced open the door and went to Dalli’s bedroom on the first floor of the home. Dalli told police he keeps a rifle near his bed for security purposes, though he said he’s never had to use it before.
He told police he grabbed some ammo that his son had left there and loaded the gun.
Antoine allegedly entered the bedroom and pushed his father, and tried to attack him. Dalli said this is when he shot his son in the stomach.
At 11am, CCTV footage captured Dalli leaving his home and heading to a neighbour’s home, asking them to call the police.
Inspector Keith Arnaud, who is prosecuting, said that no traces of blood were found in the bedroom, and that blood was found before the entrance of the bedroom and in the corridor leading to the bathroom.
Antoine Dalli was found lifeless in the shower tray in the bathroom, with water still pouring into the sink.
Investigators spoke to the partner of the victim and mother to their two children, three and four years old.
She confirmed that there was a lot of tension and repeated incidents between the father and son over the last few months. The family had been living in Salvu’s house, while he lived in another home in Żurrieq.
However, about three weeks ago, Salvu had kicked out his son from the home and moved back in. He let his grandchildren remain in the home until the 1st, August, when he kicked them out as well. They went to live in another family members’ home in Għaxaq.
Salvu had made a police report on July 6th where he asked police to intervene because his son was using drugs again, as well as spending time with bad influences. He also alleged that Antoine had punched him outside his home in Għaxaq.
When police spoke to Antoine, he said his father had attacked him first and they ended up in a brawl.
During this incident, Victim Support Unit officials had intervened and found Salvu with slight injuries, and police had issued charges against Antoine that were set to be heard in court.
On 1st, August, Antoine’s partner had asked for police protection to enter Salvu’s home and pick up some personal items.
The evening before the shooting, 6th August, Salvu had filed another police report, saying his son had attacked him because he blamed his father for the fact that Appoġġ was going to take his children from him.
On the day of the shooting, 7th August, the police had received a report from Silvan Dalli, one of Antoine’s brothers, saying that Antoine was threatening him. Police had tried to contact Antoine by phone but received no response.
Lawyer Lennox Vella has requested a psychiatrist to examine his client, who was once a patient in Mount Carmel. Magistrate Farrugia appointed George Debono to examine him and establish if he can face a jury during the next part of the court case.
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