close
The New Castle County Police department said the groups mostly consist of several of Chilean or Columbian citizens.
Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has been killed in an armed attack at a campaign rally in the capital, according to the country’s president Guillermo Lasso and local media reports.
Lasso confirmed the killing of Villavicencio on social media Wednesday.
“Outraged and shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. My solidarity and condolences to his wife and daughters,” Lasso said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio speaks during a campaign rally in Quito, Ecuador, Aug. 9, 2023. (REUTERS/Karen Toro)
The president continued, vowing that the crime would not go unpunished.
“For his memory and his fight, I assure you that this crime will not remain unpunished,” Lasso added. “Organized crime has gone very far, but all the weight of the law will fall on them.”
US SOLDIERS DRUGGED, KIDNAPPED BY COLOMBIA CRIME RING LED BY MAN NICKNAMED ‘HARRY POTTER,’ DOJ SAYS
Local media reported that Villavicencio, a former lawmaker who had been polling at 7.5% voting intention, had been shot at a campaign event in Quito.
A view of a controlled explosion of an explosive device left outside the rally site where Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was killed during a campaign event in Quito, Ecuador, Aug. 9, 2023. ( REUTERS/Karen Toro)
Social media videos from the campaign show Villavicencio being brought out and ushered to an awaiting car before gunshots are repeatedly heard.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The president vowed that he would host top security officials at an urgent meeting following the shooting.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a writer on the breaking news team for Fox News Digital. You can reach her on Twitter at @s_rumpfwhitten.
Things like your name, home address, date of birth and even your Social Security number…
Most people never think about Android security updates until a headline like this appears. Suddenly,…
The next time you pull up to the drive-thru at Burger King, you may notice…
You may think you can spot a crypto scam from a mile away. But what…
The first Tesla Cybercab has officially rolled off the floor at Tesla Gigafactory Texas. And…
Smart glasses promise a future where technology blends into everyday life. You can ask a…