In a shocking display of violence, gunmen attacked La Clínica bar in El Empalme, Ecuador, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, including a 12-year-old boy. On Sunday night, the gunmen arrived in two pickup trucks and unleashed a hail of bullets with pistols and rifles. As chaos erupted, witnesses reported hearing the men shout "active wolves," a term linked to a notorious local gang fighting for control over drug trafficking routes.
Authorities stated that 14 others were injured during the incident, which involved at least 40 spent bullet casings found at the scene. The child who died tragically ran over a kilometer before collapsing from his wounds. This massacre follows another bar shooting just a week prior, where nine individuals were killed while playing pool.
Ecuador, which has seen a surge in drug-related violence, now faces one of the highest homicide rates in the region at 38 per 100,000 people in 2024. President Daniel Noboa’s war on organized crime has intensified the country’s issues, including the alarming statistic of over 4,000 homicides reported in just the first five months of 2025. Amid this violence, nearly three-quarters of the world’s cocaine production passes through Ecuador, marking the nation as a dangerous hotspot in the global drug trade.
Authorities stated that 14 others were injured during the incident, which involved at least 40 spent bullet casings found at the scene. The child who died tragically ran over a kilometer before collapsing from his wounds. This massacre follows another bar shooting just a week prior, where nine individuals were killed while playing pool.
Ecuador, which has seen a surge in drug-related violence, now faces one of the highest homicide rates in the region at 38 per 100,000 people in 2024. President Daniel Noboa’s war on organized crime has intensified the country’s issues, including the alarming statistic of over 4,000 homicides reported in just the first five months of 2025. Amid this violence, nearly three-quarters of the world’s cocaine production passes through Ecuador, marking the nation as a dangerous hotspot in the global drug trade.
