MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Armed attack leaves 8 dead in Ecuador

One of the victims was the brother of the town's mayor

An armed attack outside a nightclub in Santa Lucía on Sunday morning, a town in Ecuador's Guayas province, left eight people (seven men and one woman) dead and several others injured. The victims included nightclub owner Jorge Urquizo, the brother of the town's mayor, Ubaldo Urquizo.

An unspecified number of hitmen on motorcycles or other moving vehicles - other witnesses mentioned “two trucks” - opened fire on a crowd outside the building. Numerous bullet casings were retrieved at the scene. Authorities believe the shooting may be linked to ongoing conflicts between rival criminal gangs in the region.

The perpetrators fled the area. One arrest was made later Sunday, but authorities were yet to corroborate whether that suspect was connected to the attack.

Guayas is one of the most violent provinces in Ecuador and is currently under a recently renewed state of emergency. The attack is the latest in a wave of violence that has plagued the country, which has become a major transit point for drug trafficking. This has led to a significant increase in homicides and clashes between armed gangs fighting for control of territory.

Sunday's incident was the latest in a series of violent acts in the region, including a similar shooting at a bar two weeks ago that left 17 people dead. According to police sources, seven of the victims died on the spot, while the eighth was rushed to a hospital while still alive, albeit in vain.

At least 11 armed gangs are known to operate in the province of Guayas, fighting for control of urban, river, and port territories.

“We unite in grief and prayer for this violent act that has struck our community,” Mayor Urquizo's office said on social media.