Source: STRINGER/Getty
On Tuesday (January 9), social media was abuzz with news from Ecuador, where masked gunmen stormed a television station and took hostages during a live telecast.
According CNN, the incident was one of several sudden criminal atrocities that occurred after one of the country's most notorious drug lords, Adolfo “Fito” Macías, escaped from prison on Sunday (January 7). In addition to the TV anchors being held captive on live television, gunmen also kidnapped police officers from the streets and even entered the University of Guayaquil campus and began taking students hostage.
Seeing how dire the situation was becoming on the streets, Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency. Noboa had the army take to the streets to contain the violence and sudden rebellion by the criminal element.
CNN References:
In response to the escape, Noboa declared a state of emergency across the country and more than 3,000 police and members of the armed forces were deployed to find Macías.
Following Fito's escape and statement, Ecuador's prison service reported incidents in at least six prisons in different provinces on Sunday.
Criminal groups then launched a wave of violent attacks in a show of force meant to discourage efforts to crack down on their activities.
At least eight people were killed in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and also considered the most dangerous. Several police officers have been kidnapped.
Police arrested 13 people for breaking into the police station, collecting firearms and grenades.
While things appear to be back to normal at press time, one can only imagine how quickly things can spiral out of control again at any given moment, especially with “Fito” still on the lam.
Watch the gunmen taking over the TC Televisión studio below. Let us know your thoughts on the situation in Ecuador in the comments section below.
