Seventeen Lives Lost in Mass Shooting at Ecuador Bar Amid Drug Violence Crisis
A tragic shooting in Ecuador claims the lives of 17 individuals, including a child, highlighting the escalating drug-related violence in the country.
Ecuador experienced its latest bout of mass violence as gunmen opened fire in La Clínica bar located in El Empalme, resulting in 17 fatalities, including a 12-year-old boy. The attack, which occurred on Sunday night, left 14 others injured. According to police, the assailants arrived in two pickup trucks and indiscriminately fired on patrons with pistols and rifles, even targeting those attempting to flee the scene. Eyewitnesses recounted that the gunmen shouted "active wolves," which may signal a connection to local drug gangs involved in fierce competition for control over trafficking routes. The chaos comes in the wake of another shooting just a week prior, where nine individuals were killed at a bar in the nearby tourist area of Playas. President Daniel Noboa has declared a crackdown on organized crime amid a troubling spike in homicide rates, further complicated by Ecuador's significant role in the global cocaine trade. Recent data indicates that the nation recorded 4,051 homicides in the first five months of 2025, underlining the growing insecurity and violence gripping the region.
A tragic shooting in Ecuador claims the lives of 17 individuals, including a child, highlighting the escalating drug-related violence in the country.
Ecuador experienced its latest bout of mass violence as gunmen opened fire in La Clínica bar located in El Empalme, resulting in 17 fatalities, including a 12-year-old boy. The attack, which occurred on Sunday night, left 14 others injured. According to police, the assailants arrived in two pickup trucks and indiscriminately fired on patrons with pistols and rifles, even targeting those attempting to flee the scene. Eyewitnesses recounted that the gunmen shouted "active wolves," which may signal a connection to local drug gangs involved in fierce competition for control over trafficking routes. The chaos comes in the wake of another shooting just a week prior, where nine individuals were killed at a bar in the nearby tourist area of Playas. President Daniel Noboa has declared a crackdown on organized crime amid a troubling spike in homicide rates, further complicated by Ecuador's significant role in the global cocaine trade. Recent data indicates that the nation recorded 4,051 homicides in the first five months of 2025, underlining the growing insecurity and violence gripping the region.
