Summary
Gunmen attacked a bar in El Empalme, Ecuador, killing 17 people, including a 12-year-old boy, and injuring 14 others. The attackers used pickup vehicles to fire weapons on the crowd and then targeted another group as they left. This incident is part of ongoing drug-related violence in the region.
Key Facts
- 17 people were killed, and 14 were injured in the shooting at La Clínica bar in El Empalme, Ecuador.
- Among those killed was a 12-year-old boy, who ran over a kilometer before dying from gunshot wounds.
- Police reported that the gunmen used pistols and rifles, in two pickup vehicles, to carry out the attack.
- At least 40 pieces of ballistic, or bullet-related, evidence were found at the crime scene.
- Witnesses heard the attackers mention "active wolves," possibly referring to a local gang involved in drug trafficking.
- The shooting took place in the Guayas region, known for violence between drug gangs.
- A similar incident occurred a week prior, with nine people killed in a bar in the same region.
- Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has declared a fight against organized crime, with the nation's homicide rate rising to 38 per 100,000 people in 2024.
- In the first five months of 2025, there were 4,051 homicides in Ecuador.
- Nearly 75% of the world's cocaine passes through Ecuador, according to official statistics.
