Police officer shot dead in Guayaquil whilst working as taxi driver on holiday
Jacob Macías, a 24-year-old officer, was attacked by men on motorcycles in southern Guayaquil. He died in hospital; a 19-year-old woman was injured.
Officer shot 62 times in southern Guayaquil dies in hospital
Jacob Eliezer Macías Arboleda, an active-duty police officer aged 24, died in the early hours of Monday 21 September 2026 after being shot at whilst inside a vehicle in the Primero de Agosto cooperative in southern Guayaquil. According to eldiario.ec, the officer was on holiday and had reportedly been providing transport services through a mobile application.
The attack occurred at approximately 00:10. Relatives informed investigators that Macías had rented a car to work during his days off and that he was allegedly conducting a ride when he was intercepted by individuals who were travelling on motorcycles.
The attackers fired repeatedly at the vehicle. Forensic personnel who attended the scene collected 62 spent cartridge cases and the car showed multiple bullet impacts. Macías sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and was left gravely injured inside the vehicle.
Residents of the area and police officers worked together to transport him to General Hospital Guasmo Sur, where his death was subsequently confirmed.
In the same incident, a 19-year-old woman, identified as Dulce C., was injured and sustained a gunshot wound to her back. She was transported to another health facility to receive medical care. As of this time, no official information has been released about her health status.
Macías was serving as a police officer in Rocafuerte canton, in Manabí province, and was on holiday at the time of the crime. Information about his activity as an application driver came from statements provided by his relatives to investigators.
Investigators conducted a collection of ballistic evidence and began reviewing security cameras installed in the surrounding area. One of the lines of investigation seeks to reconstruct the route of the motorcycles used by the attackers before and after the attack.
As of publication of this information, no arrests have been reported and no suspects have been identified. The motive for the crime has not been publicly established, nor whether the attack was related to the victim's police work. Investigations continue to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible.
Source: Google News EC — Guayaquil