Nine shot dead at a cafe in Ecuador tourist city

A group of armed men opened fire on several people at a cafe in a working-class neighborhood of General Villamil Playas, a coastal city in the southern Guayas province and destination for local tourists.

The Ecuadorian prosecutor's office said on X that "armed individuals entered the establishment and shot at those present."

Viral images on social media showed at least nine bloodied bodies lying on the floor around several pool tables.

Local media reports said the attackers were armed with automatic rifles.

At the cafe where the massacre occurred, relatives held two coffins Saturday night. Bullet holes were visible on the pool tables, according to images captured by a reporter.

Police Colonel Jhanon Varela told media that two people were injured in the attack and treated at a local hospital.

Authorities have only been able to identify one body at the scene.