Mass shooting at Puerto El Morro billiard hall in Ecuador leaves 9 dead

An armed attack at a billiard hall in the Central neighborhood of Puerto El Morro, a rural parish of Guayaquil in Guayas province, left at least nine dead, according to residents cited by Diario Extra.

The assault occurred on the night of Friday, October 16, when a group of gunmen opened fire on the establishment's occupants, located in front of the town's central plaza. A police report cited earlier by local media registered two deaths, a figure residents dispute.

Witnesses described panic as bursts of gunfire sent neighbors fleeing into their homes. One resident told Diario Extra that the same billiard hall was the scene of a violent brawl roughly six months after it opened. A sign at the establishment's entrance stated that firearms were not permitted inside. Police reportedly took more than 12 hours to arrive and process the scene, collecting surveillance camera footage.

Residents have demanded that President Daniel Noboa deploy the Armed Forces to Puerto El Morro, saying police patrols are limited to daytime hours and leave the community unprotected at night. Authorities have not confirmed the final death toll, and investigators are working to establish the circumstances of the attack.