Rome, Jan 6 (IANS/AKI): A 31-year-old Chinese man and his nine-month-old baby daughter, who was in his arms, were shot dead by two men during a night-time robbery in Rome. His wife said the assailants threatened to kill him "like a dog".

Zhou Zheng managed a coffee bar and money transfer business in a working class neighbourhood in southeast Rome.

He was returning home with his 26-year-old wife Zheng Lia and daughter after closing his business when they were approached by two men on a motorcycle who demanded 5,000 euros they believed he had from the day's sales.

When Zheng refused to hand over the cash, and while protecting his wife who was attacked with a knife, one of the men fired three shots hitting him in the stomach and the baby in the head.

"They screamed at my husband saying 'we'll kill you like a dog'," Zheng Lia said.

When police arrived they found Zhou Zheng's body along with 3,000 euros in cash.

According to a preliminary report by police, the two men who were wearing motorcycle helmets followed the family from the bar before carrying out the robbery.