Ecuadorian footballer Mario Pineida has died at the age of 33 after being shot in Guayaquil, in an incident that highlights the city’s worsening security crisis.

Local reports say Pineida was attacked on Wednesday when two men on motorbikes opened fire outside a shop in northern Guayaquil. Pineida, his mother, and another woman were struck in the shooting. Ecuador’s Interior Ministry confirmed a special police unit has been deployed to investigate the killing.

Guayaquil has become a major hotspot for gang violence and drug trafficking, with nearly 1,900 murders recorded between January and September, the highest total in the country. The football community has been particularly shaken, as three second-division players were killed in September, and another local player was wounded in a separate shooting last month.

Pineida earned nine caps for Ecuador’s national team between 2014 and 2021. He began his professional career at Independiente del Valle before joining Barcelona SC in 2016, where he became a familiar name in Ecuadorian football. He also had loan spells with Fluminense in Brazil and El Nacional.

Tributes quickly poured in from clubs and football authorities. Independiente del Valle and Fluminense honored Pineida on social media, while Barcelona SC said the news had deeply shaken the entire institution. The Ecuadorian Football Federation condemned the violence and expressed condolences to his family.

Pineida’s death adds to growing concern over how escalating violence in Ecuador is affecting everyday life — including the country’s sporting community.