Ecuador nightclub shooting kills eight people

A shooting at a nightclub in Ecuador killed eight people and injured three others, police have said.

Authorities were called to the Santa Lucía property in the early hours of Sunday morning, where they found seven people already deceased after gunmen opened fire. An eighth person died in hospital.

Police said the motive for the shooting remains unclear.

Santa Lucía is a small town in the coastal province of Guayas, one of four provinces currently under a state of emergency in an attempt to curb gang violence.

Among the dead was the owner of the nightclub, who was brother to Santa Lucía’s mayor Ubaldo Urquizo, according to AFP news agency and local media.

The local government’s Facebook page offered condolences to the mayor after the death of his brother, 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 shooting is the latest in a spate of violent attacks in Guayas. Nine people were shot dead in a pool hall on 19 July, and another 17 were killed in a bar on 27 July.

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa declared war on gang crime in January 2024, but violence has continued despite the increased military presence.

Official figures state that 4,051 homicides were recorded between January and May 2025.

The country sees 70% of all cocaine produced in the world pass through its ports, according to government data.