Two Italian teens were shot on Halloween night

Two teenagers were hospitalized in serious condition after a man allegedly opened fire on them as they went door-to-door to collect candy on Halloween night, local police said Tuesday.

Officials said a retiree apparently shot the 14-year-old boys who were with a group of friends when they knocked on his door in the small town of Chiaverano, about 3 kilometers north of Ivrea, in northern Italy.

Police in Ivrea said the youths were expected to survive. Paola Capozzi of the Ivrea police station said the 70-year-old man, Benito Dabbelani, had been arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Capozzi said the group of teenagers had thrown fire crackers outside the man's door, who then fired at them to scare them away.

Halloween has become increasingly popular in Italy, but going "trick-or-treating" is still not as widespread a practice as it is in the United States, the AP reports.

V.Y.