A group of heavily armed hooded individuals stormed the facilities of TC Televisión channel in Guayaquil, Ecuador, while it was broadcasting live. During the live broadcast, the assailants subdued some employees, forcing them to remain on the floor. The situation quickly turned chaotic, marked by screams, insults, and multiple gunshots.

The events took place at the channel's headquarters in Guayaquil, the country's most dangerous city, where desperate pleas of "don't shoot" echoed as the hooded individuals continued their violent actions. Moans of pain from a wounded person became audible after the gunshots.

The live broadcast lasted approximately 15 minutes before being abruptly cut. On the screen, the television set was initially shown, followed by images that appeared to be the internal facilities of the media outlet TC Televisión.

🇪🇨 | URGENTE: Grupos armados ingresan a la Universidad de Guayaquil, Ecuador, e intentan secuestrar a las personas. Caos total. pic.twitter.com/zQSuhJlXOg

— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) January 9, 2024

The Ecuadorian Police responded promptly to the emergency, announcing through their social media account on X (formerly Twitter) that specialized units were deployed to the scene to address the situation.

This violent incident is part of a context of chaos and violence that has affected a large part of the country, triggered by the alleged escape of two criminal leaders from a prison and more than 30 acts of violence in less than 24 hours. These include explosions, attacks, and kidnappings of police officers.

According to reports from the Ecuadorian newspaper Expreso, the criminals not only entered the TC Televisión channel but also Gamavisión, another media outlet. Although the live broadcast remained active during the events, it has been cut off at this moment, plunging the country into a situation of uncertainty and concern. Authorities continue to work to address the emergency and restore security in the region.