A woman was murdered this Sunday, December 28, inside a Chinese restaurant located on Avenida 28 de Agosto, between Portoviejo and Chunchi streets, in the Pascuales parish, in northern Guayaquil.
According to reports from the National Police, the attack occurred at 12:10 p.m.
Four minutes later, police units arrived at the scene after a citizen reported a person wounded by gunfire inside the establishment.
Upon entering the premises, officers found a woman lying on the floor with multiple bloodstains and several gunshot wounds.
The victim was identified as Verónica de las Mercedes F., 36 years old, an Ecuadorian national, who had no criminal record.
According to the police, the woman worked as a waitress.
Six shell casings and two pamphlets with threatening messages were also found at the scene and collected as evidence for the investigation.
In response to the situation, police evacuated the restaurant and cordoned off the scene to preserve evidence.
Security camera footage shows a man dressed in black entering the establishment, approaching the counter, putting his phone to his ear, and then repeatedly shooting the woman.
The assailant was also seen leaving a note on one of the tables, which, according to police, contained a phone number and a message that read: “Copy or die.”
This preliminary account is part of the ongoing investigation being conducted in coordination with specialized units and ECU911.
Authorities confirmed that the appropriate protocols for the removal of the body and the start of the investigation were activated, while operations were deployed in the area to gather information that will help identify those responsible for this violent act. (I)
