WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO
QUITO, Ecuador — Video shows the moment 7 people were killed and four others injured late Friday after gunmen stormed a pool hall in northern Ecuador, according to police.
The shooting took place in the city of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, about 80 miles west of Quito. Police believe the attack was linked to a turf war between rival criminal groups.
Investigators say at least one of those killed and two of the injured had prior arrests for drug trafficking and other violent crimes. Videos shared online show several men in black clothing and caps entering the venue and opening fire. A burned-out vehicle believed to have been used by the attackers was later found elsewhere in the city.
In early 2024, President Daniel Noboa took unprecedented steps — declaring an “internal armed conflict” and labeling 22 criminal groups as terrorists. Yet from January through July this year, more than 5,500 killings were reported, far above the 3,697 seen in the same period last year.