Police Colonel Javier Chango informed the press that seven individuals died at the scene, with another deceased in the hospital.
The incident occurred in Santa Lucia, a town with a population of 38,000, situated in Guayas province. Guayas is among the four provinces subject to a two-month state of emergency declared by President Daniel Noboa to tackle gang violence.
Further Details on the Attack
Colonel Chango elaborated that the attackers arrived in two pick-up trucks and fired upon the crowd gathered outside the Napoles nightclub at around 1:15 am local time (0615 GMT). They subsequently fled via an undisclosed route, leaving behind 800 cartridge cases at the scene.
Among those killed was Jorge Urquizo, the nightclub’s owner and brother of Santa Lucia’s mayor.
The police are yet to ascertain a motive for the shooting.
“All hypotheses are under consideration; none can be excluded at this point,” stated Chango.
Ecuador recorded 4,619 homicides in the first half of 2025, a 47% surge compared to the same period last year.
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Editor: Rana Taha
