Several gunmen attacked the southern neighborhood of Guasmo in Guayaquil, Ecuador, as violence continued to surge in this once-peaceful South American country.
In this edition of Eyewitness News Extra Time, we discuss the latest on the Gilgo Beach murders, a shooting that left two officers shot in Brooklyn, and how the turmoil in Ecuador is affecting New Yorkers.
Ecuador s President Daniel Noboa declares his country "at war" with drug gangs holding prison guards hostage. He names 22 gangs as terrorist organizations and makes them military targets. The surge in violence includes gunmen taking over a live TV broadcast and explosions in multiple cities. With a state of emergency declared and plans for high-security prisons, the government aims to address the security crisis linked to rising drug trafficking. The president pledges to deport foreign prisoners, particularly Colombians, to reduce prison populations. The U.S. offers aid, condemning criminal attacks by armed groups.