It happened in Ecuador. The attackers, dressed in police uniforms, invaded the casa of the family and they killed the youngest brother first, in frente aparents, followed by the rest young people. This year is already one of the most violent on record in Ecuador, with an average of one homicide per hour.
Four brothers, aged between 16 and 26, were murdered on Sunday inside their home in Guayaquil, Ecuador, by armed men who, according to authorities, may have mistaken them for members of criminal gangs.
The attack occurred during the early hours of Sunday, when the attackers, dressed in police uniforms, invaded the residence and first killed the youngest brother, aged 16, in front of his parents, followed by the remaining young people, aged 23, 25 and 26..
The television station Teleamazonas reported that none of the four had a criminal record. Sources close to the investigation, cited by the same media outlet, reported that the attackers’ intended target may have been a person suspected of belonging to an organized crime group living nearby.
Between January and June, Ecuador recorded 4,619 homicidesthe most violent six-month period in its history, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The number represents an increase of 47% compared to the first half of 2014.
This year is already one of the most violent on record in Ecuadorwith a average of one homicide per hourattributed by the authorities to territorial disputes between criminal groups. The escalation of violence led President Daniel Noboa to declare, in January 2024, a “internal armed conflict” against several organizations that the Government now classifies as “terrorists”.
