A prosecutor involved in the investigation of an attack on a TV studio in Ecuador last week has been killed, according to officials.
César Suárez was fatally shot in Guayaquil on Wednesday, and it remains unclear whether his death is connected to the TV station attack probe.
During the recent studio incident, masked individuals entered public TV channel TC’s studio during a live broadcast, threatening staff at gunpoint.
Live on-air footage showed journalist Jose Luis Calderon pleading with the gunmen, and station employees were compelled to sit or lie on the studio floor.
The attack resulted in a cameraman being shot in the leg, while another suffered a broken arm.
Reports suggest that Mr. Suárez was shot while driving near his office, with unverified social media footage showing a vehicle with bullet holes.
In an interview with El Universo a day before his death, Suárez mentioned not receiving police protection despite questioning the 13 individuals arrested in connection with the TV station attack.
His killing adds to a wave of violence in Ecuador, marked by prison escapes, hostage situations involving prison guards, and explosions in various cities.
President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency, instructing the military to “neutralize” 22 armed groups redefined as terrorist organizations.
Attorney General Diana Salazar expressed grief over Suárez’s death, stating, “It is impossible not to be broken by the death of a colleague in the fight against organised crime. We will remain firm in his name: for him, for the country, for justice.
“Thank you for your work, César. Rest in peace,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Source-BBC
