8 people were killed in a shooting attack at a bar in Ecuador, local police say

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Police say eight people have been killed in a shooting attack on a birthday party in a bar in Ecuador, which has suffered an escalating wave of gang-fueled violence. It was unclear if the attack early Saturday in the coastal province of Santa Elena was directed at the person whose was holding the celebration. Local police said the attackers opened fire at the bar in the town of Chanduy and fled. The victims included five men and three women. Police said none of the victims had criminal records. Santa Elena has become one of Ecuador’s most violent regions.