Chinese Couple Shot Dead in Suspected Gang Execution in Rome

A Chinese couple has been shot dead in a suspected mafia-style execution near their home in Rome, Italy, amid ongoing tensions linked to Chinese organized crime.

The victims, identified as Zhang Dayong, 53, also known as “Asheng,” and his partner Gong Xiaoqing, 38, were killed late Monday night in the eastern Pigneto district, according to Italian authorities. Both suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the backs of their heads.

Police said the pair were ambushed just meters from their residence as they returned home. The attackers reportedly arrived on a motorcycle and fired at least six shots before fleeing the scene.

Investigators believe the killings may be connected to a long-running gang rivalry known as the “Coat Hanger Wars”—a violent conflict between Chinese criminal networks vying for control of the fashion logistics industry, particularly in the Tuscan city of Prato and beyond.

Prosecutors suspect the double homicide was a revenge attack. Dayong was reportedly a close associate of Naizhong Zhang, a Chinese-Italian crime boss currently on trial in Florence. Zhang is accused of leading a vast criminal operation spanning Italy, France, Germany, and Spain, allegedly maintaining control through intimidation and violence.

Authorities say Dayong managed illicit operations in Rome, including underground gambling, loan-sharking, and enforcement activities. He was also named in a major 2018 anti-mafia probe known as “China Truck,” which exposed extensive trafficking networks run by Chinese gangs in Prato.

The killings have intensified concerns over escalating gang violence tied to transnational criminal organizations operating in Italy’s Chinese communities.