Ecuador live tv hijacked by gunmen amid 60 day state emergency over drug cartel in prisons

On January 9, masked gunmen stormed the live broadcast of Ecuador’s TC Television in Guayaquil.

The assailants, armed with pistols and what appeared to be dynamite sticks, interrupted the news program, which was being watched by thousands across the nation. Terrified staff were forced onto the floor, and the harrowing event was transmitted live until the station’s signal was abruptly cut after about 15 minutes. During the assault, one cameraman was shot in the leg, another suffered a broken arm, and a woman’s pleas for the gunmen not to shoot were heard.

The police swiftly responded, surrounding the building and arresting 13 individuals. This brazen act of violence is part of a larger surge in crime that has gripped Ecuador, following the escape of notorious gang leaders from prison and the declaration of a state of emergency by President Daniel Noboa.