Shooting during the transfer of a body to the Esmeraldas cemetery

emeralds

An armed confrontation took place during the funeral of Jordan Bone Betancourt, 22, who was killed with three bullet wounds in the San Pedro y San Pablo neighborhood, on the banks of the Esmeraldas River.

The crossing of bullets happened on the afternoon of this Tuesday the 15th while the coffin was being moved from this place to the municipal cemetery of Esmeraldas. Special units of the National Police were alerted through calls for help to ECU911.

Jaime Viteri, an officer from the Esmeraldas police district, said that personnel from the GOE, UMO and other units were activated to control the incident during the funeral.

The agents guarded the walk and searches were carried out inside the cemetery. There, a bulletproof vest was found on one of the participants in the funeral.

Six criminal gangs operate in neighborhoods on the banks of the Esmeraldas River and in the western and southern areas of the city

It is not the first time that these situations have occurred in Esmeraldas. A similar attack occurred on the afternoon of Monday, January 17, while a coffin was being transported to the local municipal cemetery.

The incident occurred in Juan Montalvo streets between Libertad and Olmedo between two sides. After the event, the coffin was left in the middle of the street and was later picked up by family and friends.

SECURITY A decapitated man was found on the Esmeraldas-Tachina road; level of insecurity motivated protest of inhabitants

The Police believe that these confrontations correspond to groups linked to drug trafficking or organized crime.

The province of Esmeraldas is located in second place of violent deaths. Of the 18 deaths of this type that it registered from January 1 to March 11 of last year, the province had 84 crimes in the same period compared to this 2022. This implies that more than one death is reported almost daily. (I)