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A nightclub shooting in Ecuador has left eight people dead and three others injured, police said.
Officers were called to the Santa Lucía venue in the early hours of Sunday, where they found seven people already dead after gunmen opened fire. An eighth victim later died in hospital.
Police said the motive for the attack is still unknown.
Santa Lucía, a small town in the coastal province of Guayas, is one of four provinces under a state of emergency aimed at curbing gang violence.
Among those killed was the nightclub’s owner, who was the brother of Santa Lucía’s mayor, Ubaldo Urquizo, according to AFP and local media reports.
The local government expressed sympathy on its Facebook page, writing: “We join with respect and solidarity with their grief, lifting our prayers that they may find strength and comfort during this difficult time.”
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Guayas. Nine people were killed in a pool hall on 19 July, and 17 more were shot dead in a bar on 27 July.
President Daniel Noboa declared war on gang crime in January 2024, but violence has persisted despite a stronger military presence.
Government figures show 4,051 homicides were recorded between January and May 2025. Officials say 70% of the world’s cocaine passes through Ecuador’s ports.
