In Ecuador, a Night of Billiards Turns Deadly

Police in Ecuador are investigating a shooting that left at least nine people dead in a beach town pool hall, reports AFP. The killings took place Saturday night when gunmen stormed a billiard hall in General Villamil Playas, a coastal town in southwestern Ecuador. The country's Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the incident via its X social media account, stating that "armed individuals entered the premises and shot those present."

Photos shared on social media platforms revealed a grim scene, with bodies lying between pool tables. An AFP reporter described seeing coffins inside the hall and bullet holes in the pool tables. A police official warned the death toll could rise given the chaotic nature of the shooting—some victims were whisked to the hospital by friends or relatives. At least two people were wounded. No word on motive, but a story in Acled notes that Ecuador is struggling with "unrelenting gang violence," mostly in coastal provinces.