On the night of September 12, 2025, the city of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas in northern Ecuador was rocked by a brutal attack that has become all too familiar in recent years. According to the Associated Press, a criminal gang burst into a crowded pool hall and opened fire, killing at least seven people and wounding four others. The violence, which police attribute to an ongoing territorial dispute between rival gangs, marks the second such massacre in the city in less than a month.
Located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of Quito, Ecuador’s capital, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas has found itself at the epicenter of a wave of gang-related violence sweeping the nation. As reported by Devdiscourse, the latest attack mirrors a similar incident that occurred on August 17, when seven people were also killed in a pool hall in the same city. The repeated nature of these assaults underscores the deepening crisis and the grip that organized crime now holds in parts of Ecuador.
Local police commander Col. Olga Benavides, speaking to the media, laid the blame squarely on a “territorial dispute” among criminal gangs. She noted that one of those killed and two of the wounded in Friday’s attack had criminal records for drug trafficking, criminal association, murder, and theft. These details, confirmed by official police reports, highlight the tangled connections between victims and perpetrators in a city where the lines between bystander and participant can blur amid the chaos of gang warfare.
Images broadcast by local media and described in the Associated Press report show the chilling scene: several men dressed in black, wearing vests and caps, arriving at the pool hall and opening fire on unsuspecting customers, who fell to the ground in panic and pain. The attackers then fled the scene in a vehicle, which was later found burned in another part of the city—a tactic often used by organized crime groups to cover their tracks and frustrate police investigations.
Authorities in Ecuador have been grappling with an explosion of violence over the past four years, much of it fueled by the expansion of operations by organized crime groups linked primarily to Mexican and Colombian drug cartels. As the Associated Press and Devdiscourse both note, these cartels have turned Ecuador into a battleground for control over lucrative drug trafficking routes and local markets. The result has been a dramatic surge in homicides and public attacks, leaving communities like Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas caught in the crossfire.
President Daniel Noboa, who took office amid growing public anxiety over security, responded to the crisis in January 2024 by declaring a state of internal armed conflict. In a sweeping move, he designated 22 criminal organizations as “terrorist” groups, granting security forces expanded powers to confront the gangs. Yet, as the events of September 12 starkly illustrate, the violence has not abated. In fact, according to official figures cited by the Associated Press, more than 5,500 homicides were recorded in Ecuador between January and July 2025—an increase of nearly 50% over the 3,697 killings during the same period in 2024.
The statistics are grim, but the lived reality for residents is even more harrowing. The city of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, once known for its vibrant markets and bustling streets, now finds itself under a pall of fear. Businesses are shuttering earlier, and families worry about venturing out after dark. The repeated attacks on pool halls—a popular gathering spot for locals—have sent a chilling message that no public space is truly safe.
Police investigations into the September 12 attack have revealed further details that paint a picture of calculated brutality. The attackers, described as armed assailants wearing vests and caps, arrived in a coordinated fashion, opened fire with deadly precision, and escaped in a vehicle that was later torched. The use of such tactics, as reported by both the Associated Press and Devdiscourse, suggests a level of organization and ruthlessness that has become characteristic of Ecuador’s criminal underworld.
For many Ecuadorians, the violence represents not just a public safety crisis but a fundamental challenge to the rule of law. The government’s designation of criminal gangs as terrorist organizations was intended to signal a zero-tolerance approach and to marshal the full resources of the state against the threat. However, critics argue that the policy has yet to yield tangible results. Despite the tough rhetoric and expanded police powers, the killings have continued unabated, and the gangs appear undeterred.
Some security analysts point to the involvement of foreign cartels as a key factor driving the escalation. The influx of resources, weapons, and tactical expertise from Mexican and Colombian groups has transformed local gangs into formidable adversaries. According to authorities cited by the Associated Press, these international connections have allowed criminal organizations to expand their reach, outgun law enforcement, and entrench themselves in communities across the country.
In the aftermath of the latest attack, questions abound about what more can be done to stem the tide of violence. Community leaders in Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas have called for greater investment in social programs and education, arguing that poverty and lack of opportunity are fueling the rise of gangs. Others demand a more aggressive security response, including increased patrols and tougher penalties for organized crime.
President Noboa’s administration, for its part, insists that it is committed to restoring order. In a statement following the September 12 shooting, officials reiterated their resolve to dismantle criminal organizations and bring those responsible to justice. Yet, for many residents, such assurances ring hollow in the face of repeated attacks and rising body counts.
The violence in Ecuador is not unique in the region. Countries across Latin America have struggled with the corrosive effects of organized crime, from Mexico’s long-running drug war to Colombia’s decades-long battle with cartels and insurgents. What sets Ecuador apart is the rapidity with which the crisis has escalated and the apparent inability of authorities to regain control.
As the people of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas mourn the latest victims, the sense of urgency is palpable. The question now is whether the government’s efforts—however well-intentioned—can turn the tide before more lives are lost. For a nation on edge, the stakes could not be higher.
The events of September 12 serve as a stark reminder that Ecuador’s struggle with organized crime is far from over, and that the path to peace and security will require not just force, but a renewed commitment to addressing the underlying causes of violence.