Algerian national arrested in murder of Assyrian in Lyon
French and Italian authorities have confirmed the arrest of an Algerian national believed to be implicated in the killing of the Assyrian Ashur Sarnaya in Lyon.
Law enforcement in Italy arrested a 28-year-old Algerian national on 2 October near Bari (in the Puglia region), in the town of Andria, under a European arrest warrant issued by French authorities.
The Assyria Post
According to French prosecutors cited in Le Figaro, the suspect was identified due to his proximity to the crime scene and is considered “suspect number one” in the investigation. He did not resist arrest and was placed in custody in the prison at Trani, awaiting further legal procedures.
Italian police have stated that the suspect entered Italy via Milan on 12 September, traveled to Rome, and then relocated to the south of the country. The French investigating division, DCOS (Division de la Criminalité Organisée et Spécialisée) in Lyon, is handling the case.
The Lyon public prosecutor’s office said that the suspect has been presented to the Italian judicial authorities, who will decide on his transfer to France. Meanwhile, the French national anti-terror prosecutor’s office (PNAT) has indicated that it is “monitoring” the file.
Stabbed to death while live streaming
Ashur Sarnaya, a 45-year-old Assyrian Christian, paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, had fled Iraq after the rise of ISIS in 2014 and settled in Lyon with his sister. He had become known for his livestreams on TikTok, in which he spoke about Christianity and often critiqued Islamist groups. In those videos, he had claimed that his content was sometimes blocked, and he had reportedly received threatening messages from Muslim users online.
On the night of 10 September 2025, Sarnaya was performing a live broadcast when a person attacked him as he returned to his building in the 9th arrondissement of Lyon. He was stabbed in the neck while live streaming and suffered cardiac arrest. Emergency services were unable to revive him.
Witnesses claimed to see a hooded figure in dark clothing fleeing the scene; video fragments from his livestream captured the violent event. Investigators quickly opened a homicide investigation and mobilised specialized units.
Georges Shamoun Ishaq, head of the Assyrian association of Lyon, has described Ashur as a “very kind, deeply believing person” who never had personal conflicts.
Relief and continued concern after arrest
The arrest has ignited both relief and continued concern across Christian, Assyrian, and refugee communities. Sarnaya’s sister voiced certainty that the killing was motivated by religion, saying, “For me, it's one hundred percent religious.” Christian organisations, including Œuvre d’Orient, condemned the killing and called for a prompt, full investigation. A demonstration was organised in Paris to denounce “Christianophobia” in late September following the murder.
