The 38-year-old mayor of the third-largest city in Ecuador was assassinated Sunday in a brazen attack that left one other person dead and four others injured, authorities say.
Agustín Intriago, the recently re-elected mayor of the port city of Manta, was inspecting public works within the city when a gunman allegedly got out of a stolen truck and opened fire on Intriago, killing him and a nearby woman, Reuters reported.
#ecuador #manta #mayor #assassinated
QUITO, July 23 – The mayor of the Ecuadorian Pacific port city of Manta, Agustin Intriago, was shot dead on Sunday, authorities said, in a brazen attack that stunned the political establishment. pic.twitter.com/WCI2BLZfjS— Maestro Informations (@Maestroinfoo) July 24, 2023
Security personnel accompanying Intriago returned fire, wounding the driver of the truck and another suspect, according to the Associated Press (AP). The two suspects are currently under police surveillance as they receive medical attention for their injuries, the outlet stated. The suspected shooter, however, remains at large, Reuters reported, citing a statement from regional police commander Edwin Noguera.
In the truck, police reportedly found a gun and a hand grenade, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Bomb Disguised As USB Drive Detonates In Ecuadorian Newsroom, Injuring TV Presenter: Reports)
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso expressed his sorrow at Intraigo’s death, vowing to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. “I have ordered the Commanding General to activate the necessary contingent so that those responsible are located and answer to justice for this act. We stand in solidarity with the family of the Mayor and the victim who was accompanying the authority at that time,” he tweeted.
It was not immediately clear why Intriago was seemingly targeted in the attack, though gang violence from drug cartels is on the rise within the country, VOA News reported.
Manta is Ecuador’s third-largest city and has a population of around 200,000.