ACarabiniere police officer is dead after being shot early on Thursday while on duty in the area of Francavilla Fontana, in Puglia.

According to initial reports, the officer, who has been named as Carlo Legrottaglie, was killed when gunmen got out of their vehicles and opened fire following a car chase.

The gunmen, who reportedly fled on foot, were tracked down near a farmhouse in the area of Grottaglie, in the province of Taranto, and were detained after another shootout, sources said.

Legrottaglie, a father of two, was due to retire in July, sources said.

“I express deep condolences for the dramatic death of Brigadier Chief of the Carabinieri Carlo Legrottaglie, a servant of the State who was killed in a cowardly way while carrying out his work in defence and protection of the community with courage and a sense of duty on behalf of myself and every woman and man of the defence ministry,” said Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.

“He left us keeping faith with the oath he took: to protect citizens and Italy at all costs.

“In this moment of great pain, we embrace his family, his colleagues in the force and General Commander Salvatore Luongo.

“I bow to the sense of duty and courage that led Brigadier Legrottaglie to sacrifice his life to defend our security”.

The Carabinieri is a military force and so belongs the defence ministry.