On Sunday, seven heavily armed people entered the Napoleon Davila Hospital in Chon Township, Manabi Province, where they took four people hostage.Minutes after taking control of the hospital, the National Police entered the medical center to release those detained by the criminals.
The gunmen intended to kill a 16-year-old , who was hospitalized Saturday night with serious injuries after trying to kill him, said Col. Alex Salgado, Chun County Police Chief. The police rescue came at a time when at least 100 patients and medical staff were inside the hospital.
The criminals and officers engaged in a pistol duel on the second floor of the hospital. However, no one was injured, although some glass and windows were shattered.
Last month, the coastal provinces of Manabi, Guayas and Santo Domingo were placed under a state of emergency in an effort to control violence stemming from conflict between gangs involved in the drug trade. Their power struggle also caused dozens of deaths in Ecuador's prisons.
