Ecuador defender Pineida killed in shooting

Mario Pineida, a defender for Ecuador, was shot in Guayaquil, and passed away at the age of 33.

Pineida was reportedly shot on Wednesday by two motorcyclists who opened fire on him, his mother, and another woman outside a north-of-the-city store.

Ecuador’s interior ministry announced the establishment of a special police force to look into the situation.

With 1, 900 murders recorded between January and September, Ecuador’s highest number, there has been gang violence and drug trafficking.

Between 2014 and 2021, Pineida won nine caps for Ecuador.

He started his professional career at Independiente DV before transferring to Barcelona SC in Guayaquil in 2016.

Additionally, he interned on loan at El Nacional and Fluminese.

On social media, Independiente and Fluminese praised Pineida, while Barcelona SC wrote, “This unfortunate news makes all of us who are part of this institution deeply dismayed.”