Gunmen shot and killed at least seven people at a pool hall in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, on Sunday, August 17, marking the latest massacre in the country’s escalating gang violence crisis. The attack occurred in the nightlife district of Santo Domingo, located approximately 93 miles west of the capital Quito.
National police confirmed through a WhatsApp group with reporters that “seven people died from gunshot wounds” at the establishment. Authorities launched an immediate investigation and began hunting for those responsible for the Sunday evening massacre.
Security camera footage circulating online showed several attackers wearing black masks opening fire on two men standing at the entrance to the pool hall, causing pedestrians to flee in panic. The gunmen then entered the facility and continued shooting before escaping prior to police arrival. The footage has not been independently verified by news agencies.
Local media reports indicated that preliminary investigations suggested the killings may be connected to organized crime activities in the region. This attack follows a similar pattern of violence that has plagued Ecuador in recent months.
A comparable pool hall massacre occurred last month in the southwestern tourist city of General Villamil Playas, where at least nine people were killed. In April, armed men killed 12 people at a cockfighting ring located approximately 30 kilometers from Santo Domingo. Additionally, 14 people were killed in massacres during the previous weekend in the troubled province of Guayas.
Ecuador, once considered a peaceful haven in Latin America, has experienced a dramatic transformation due to the expansion of transnational cartels that utilize the country’s ports for drug shipments to the United States and Europe. The nation’s homicide rate has surged dramatically from six per 100,000 residents in 2018 to 38 per 100,000 in 2024.
Between January and May 2025, Ecuador recorded more than 4,051 homicides according to official government figures. Analysts describe this as the most violent start to a year in the country’s recent history. The spike in violence has occurred despite President Daniel Noboa’s administration implementing widespread operations and declaring constant states of emergency.
Criminal gangs competing for control of drug trafficking routes have exploited Ecuador’s strategic geographic location, its dollar-based economy, and corruption among some authorities. The country has become a critical transit point, with official figures indicating that 73 percent of global cocaine production passes through Ecuadorian ports.
Despite law enforcement efforts, Ecuador seized a record 294 tons of drugs in 2024, primarily cocaine, compared to 221 tons in 2023. The increase in seizures reflects the growing volume of narcotics moving through the country rather than the successful disruption of trafficking operations.
The violence has continued even following the June recapture of the country’s most prominent drug lord, Adolfo Macías, known by the alias Fito, after his escape from a maximum-security prison in 2024. The Ecuadoran government extradited Macías to the United States last month, where he pleaded not guilty to charges in a seven-count indictment unsealed in Brooklyn.
The indictment charges Macías, who leads the gang Los Choneros, and an unidentified co-defendant with international cocaine distribution, conspiracy, and weapons counts, including smuggling firearms from the United States. The U.S. government classified Los Choneros as one of the most violent gangs and confirmed its connections to powerful Mexican drug cartels threatening Ecuador and the surrounding region.
Earlier this year, authorities arrested a leader of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s largest crime syndicates, at his home in the coastal city of Portoviejo. Carlos D, widely known by his alias El Chino, served as second-in-command of Los Lobos and was considered a high-value target by the armed forces. The U.S. government declared Los Lobos to be Ecuador’s largest drug trafficking organization.
President Noboa has declared states of emergency in four provinces, including Guayas, to combat gang violence. However, the measures have shown limited effectiveness in reducing the overall violence plaguing the nation. The latest attack in Santo Domingo demonstrates the persistent security challenges facing Ecuadoran authorities as they struggle to contain the influence of criminal organizations operating throughout the country.
