In Ecuador, at least eight people were killed and three others injured in a nightclub shooting in Santa Lucía. Seven victims died at the scene, while one succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Police say, heavily armed attackers arrived on motorcycles and in two vehicles. The motive is still unknown.

 

 

The shooting comes just two days after another deadly attack, where gunmen attacked a boat in El Oro province, killing four and leaving several missing. Violence has surged in Ecuador, especially in the coastal provinces of Guayas, El Oro, Manabí, and Los Ríos, all currently under a state of emergency. Authorities blame the violence on drug gangs fighting over trafficking routes. According to the media reports, over 4,600 people have been killed in Ecuador so far this year.