Five people have been shot dead in a pool hall in western Ecuador, police confirmed on Saturday, marking the latest episode in the country’s spiraling wave of drug-related violence.
According to authorities, three armed men arrived in a van and opened fire on patrons inside the hall in Santo Domingo, a city located about 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of the capital, Quito.
Police described the attack as the result of a “dispute between organized crime groups.” In addition to the five fatalities, one person was wounded, a local police official told Alfa & Omega News.
Similar shootings have taken place at pool halls in Santo Domingo in recent months, underscoring the city’s growing role as a flashpoint in Ecuador’s deepening security crisis.
Rising Tide of Violence
Once regarded as one of South America’s safest nations, Ecuador has in recent years been transformed by the influence of powerful drug cartels. Sandwiched between Colombia and Peru—the world’s top cocaine producers—the country has become a key transit hub for narcotics trafficking to North America and Europe.
The surge in criminal activity has driven Ecuador’s homicide rate to the highest in South America, according to the InSight Crime think tank.
Data from the Ecuadoran Observatory on Organized Crime shows that in the first half of 2025, the country’s murder rate rose by 47 percent compared to the same period last year.
As authorities struggle to regain control, frequent killings, prison riots, and high-profile assassinations have become grim reminders of Ecuador’s descent into lawlessness.
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