Quito: Seven people were killed when gunmen opened fire at an illegal cockfighting venue in Ecuador’s Samborondón, a municipality plagued by gang-related activities, police said
The incident occurred on Sunday, with police reporting that some victims sustained as many as 40 bullet wounds.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the victims or the specific motive behind the shooting. Local media outlets have reported that dozens of others were injured in the chaotic scene as gunmen unleashed a barrage of gunfire.
Samborondón is located in Guayas province on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, an area heavily impacted by drug-related violence.
The province, which includes the major port city of Guayaquil, has become a battleground for rival gangs vying for control over drug trafficking routes linked to international cartels. The port city serves as a critical exit point for narcotics bound for the United States and Europe.
Ecuador, once regarded as a relatively peaceful nation of 17 million, has witnessed a staggering increase in its homicide rate, which has surged eightfold over the past five years. The rise in violence has been attributed to the growing influence of drug trafficking organizations.
Ecuadorian authorities have ramped up efforts to combat organized crime, but the escalating death toll and increasing brutality of gang warfare continue to challenge law enforcement.
