(Reuters) – An armed attack has killed 10 people in the Ecuadorean port city of Guayaquil, the public prosecutor’s office of Ecuador and police reported today.
A rifle and 9-millimeter caliber guns were found at the scene, the Ecuadorean Prosecutor’s Office posted on its Twitter account.
“At the moment, our investigation and intelligence units are carrying out operational actions in order to identify those responsible,” the National Police tweeted. There were no immediate arrests.
The Ecuadorean government declared a state of emergency in early April in Guayaquil and surrounding areas in an effort to curb surging violence in the Pacific port city. The measure includes a curfew from 1 a.m. until 5 a.m.
The South American country recently authorized civilians to carry and use guns for personal defense amid an increase in crime that the government has blamed on drug trafficking gangs.
