Gunmen shot and killed at least seven people at a pool hall in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, on Sunday, August 18, 2025, marking the latest deadly attack in the country’s escalating gang violence crisis. The shooting occurred in the nightlife district of Santo Domingo, located approximately 93 miles west of the capital city of Quito.
National police confirmed that “seven people died from gunshot wounds” at the pool hall. Authorities are actively investigating the incident and searching for those responsible for the massacre.
Purported 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 establishment and continued shooting before escaping prior to police arrival. The footage has not been independently verified by news agencies.
Local media reported that preliminary investigations suggest the killings may be connected to organized crime activities in the region. This attack follows a similar pattern of violence targeting recreational establishments, including a pool hall massacre in July that killed nine people in the southwestern tourist city of General Villamil Playas. In April, armed attackers killed 12 people at a cockfighting ring located about 30 kilometers from Santo Domingo.
Ecuador has experienced a dramatic transformation from what was once considered a peaceful haven in Latin America to one of the region’s most violent countries. The nation’s homicide rate has skyrocketed from six per 100,000 residents in 2018 to 38 per 100,000 in 2024. Between January and May 2025, the country recorded more than 4,051 homicides, representing what analysts describe as the most violent start to a year in Ecuador’s recent history.
The surge in violence stems from the expansion of transnational drug cartels that exploit Ecuador’s strategic ports to ship narcotics to the United States and Europe. Criminal organizations have proliferated throughout the country, taking advantage of its strategic location, US dollar-based economy, and corruption among some authorities.
President Daniel Noboa’s administration has implemented widespread security operations and declared constant states of emergency in response to the crisis, but these measures have failed to significantly reduce the violence. Just last weekend, 14 people were killed in massacres in Guayas province, one of four provinces where Noboa recently declared a state of emergency to combat gang violence.
The scale of Ecuador’s role in international drug trafficking is staggering, with official figures indicating that 73 percent of the world’s cocaine production passes through Ecuadorian ports. In 2024, the country seized a record 294 tons of drugs, primarily cocaine, compared to 221 tons confiscated in 2023.
The violence has continued despite recent law enforcement successes, including the recapture and subsequent extradition to the United States of the country’s most notorious drug lord, Adolfo Macías, known as “Fito.” Macías leads the Los Choneros gang, which the US government has classified as one of the most violent criminal organizations with connections to powerful Mexican drug cartels.
Additional recent incidents underscore the breadth of the violence plaguing Ecuador. In late July, armed attackers killed at least 17 civilians, including a child, and wounded 14 others in two overnight attacks in El Empalme. These massacres occurred as gangs continue vying for control of lucrative drug trafficking routes throughout the country.
Law enforcement agencies have also achieved some notable arrests in their fight against organized crime. Earlier this year, authorities captured Carlos D, known as “El Chino,” who served as second-in-command of Los Lobos, another major criminal syndicate. The US government designated Los Lobos as Ecuador’s largest drug trafficking organization in 2024.
The Sunday shooting in Santo Domingo represents the latest in a series of attacks targeting entertainment venues, highlighting how criminal organizations have increasingly brought their conflicts into public spaces. The pattern of violence at recreational establishments suggests these locations may be chosen either for their symbolic value or because they serve as meeting places for rival factions.
