Ecuador jail shooting kills at least four, injures dozens in jail

At least four people were killed and 34 others wounded Sunday in a confrontation with firearms and explosives in a prison in southwestern Ecuador where in recent months brawls have been commonplace. The information was confirmed by the penitentiary authority.

Ecuadorian prisons have become centers of operation for drug trafficking gangs, which in their attempt to control this lucrative business have engaged in clashes in which, since 2021, nearly 500 inmates have died.

At around 3 a.m. local time on Sunday, residents in the city of Machala, in the province of El Oro, heard gunshots, explosions and cries for help coming from inside the prison.

The National Service of Integral Attention to Adults Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) reported Sunday in a statement that four people died as a result of the clashes, without specifying whether they were all inmates.

In the morning, the service had announced that 44 people had been injured, but later adjusted the figure downward and reported that the injury toll is 33 inmates and one police officer.

Elite police teams "immediately" entered the prison, captured seven people who will be prosecuted and took control after the riot, the SNAI added.