16-year-old student brought homemade weapon to school in northern Guayaquil
Police found a homemade firearm in the backpack of a 16-year-old student at a school on Avenida Carlos Julio Arosemena. This is the third case involving weapons in educational facilities in the district since 27 August.
Homemade weapon found in adolescent's backpack at Guayaquil educational facility
Police officers arrived on 17 September 2026 in patrol cars and several motorcycles at an educational facility located on Avenida Carlos Julio Arosemena in northern Guayaquil, following an alert from a teacher about the unusual behaviour of one of his students. According to expreso.ec, when officers reviewed the student's backpack, they found a homemade firearm.
The adolescent, aged 16, was isolated whilst the corresponding procedure was carried out. The school authorities immediately notified his parents.
Third case in district since August
Major Franklin Pacheco, head of Operational Management for the Florida district, clarified that this incident is not isolated. Since 27 August 2026, police have recorded three cases linked to the presence of firearms in educational facilities in the same district. One of those episodes, which occurred the previous week, left a student injured.
"The authorities of the Ministry of Education are already taking action on this matter," Pacheco stated. The official added that during other interventions at schools, police have also found substances subject to regulatory control.
Recruitment via social media
According to Pacheco, the adolescent would have been contacted through social media by a criminal group. "This social media network is precisely in charge of that, of recruiting victims, especially minors, because they know they are vulnerable people," the official stated.
Police are investigating the circumstances in which the weapon came into the student's possession and the purpose for which it was allegedly to be used. So far, it has not been clarified which criminal organisation the case would be linked to.
Pacheco explained that these criminal structures take advantage of the economic needs, family problems or personal interests of adolescents to involve them in illicit activities. According to the official, criminal groups present drug trafficking at the micro level and other crimes as a way to obtain money or improve quality of life. "The truth is that that is false," he emphasised.
Shield Plan in schools on the coast
In response to this situation, police are working jointly with the Interior and Education ministries through the Shield Plan, an initiative that came into effect on 4 September 2026 in the Costa region. The plan aims to combat crime, micro-trafficking and the recruitment of minors within educational facilities.
The initiative includes prevention actions, periodic inspections and inter-institutional coordination to identify possible risks in schools. The authorities stressed the importance of teachers and parents reporting changes in behaviour or unusual situations among students.
Source: Google News EC — Guayaquil