In a shocking turn of events, masked gunmen forcibly entered a live television studio in Guayaquil, Ecuador, causing panic among the terrified staff. The incident unfolded during a broadcast by the public television channel TC, as employees were coerced onto the floor before the live feed abruptly cut out.
Law enforcement swiftly responded, managing to free all the staff and apprehending 13 suspects in connection with the armed intrusion. The station reported that two employees sustained injuries during the harrowing ordeal.
The unsettling incident occurred against the backdrop of a 60-day state of emergency declared in Ecuador on Monday, following the mysterious disappearance of a notorious gangster from his prison cell. The state of emergency was imposed as a response to the vanishing act of Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as Fito, the leader of the Choneros gang.
Since the initiation of the state of emergency, the nation has witnessed at least 10 fatalities. The motive behind the armed break-in at the TV studio remains unclear, leaving authorities to investigate any potential links to the high-profile escape of Adolfo Macías Villamar from a prison in the same city of Guayaquil. The situation underscores the heightened tensions and public safety concerns gripping Ecuador in the wake of recent events.
