Referee shot dead during football match

An amateur football match in Ecuador ended in tragedy after a referee was fatally shot during a game.

The victim, identified as Javier Ortega, was officiating a local league match in the city of Pasaje, located in El Oro Province, when the horrifying incident occurred.

According to eyewitness accounts, armed assailants stormed the pitch and opened fire, causing chaos among players and spectators.

Ortega reportedly collapsed immediately after being shot. Despite the rapid arrival of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The match was instantly abandoned as panic spread across the stadium, with players and fans fleeing for safety.

Local authorities have since opened a full homicide investigation, with officers reviewing mobile phone footage, collecting eyewitness testimonies and tracking the unidentified attackers.

A police spokesperson condemned the act, describing it as: “A cold-blooded crime committed in a space meant for community and sport.”

No arrests have been made as of the time of reporting.

According to international reports, Ecuador recorded its highest-ever number of violent deaths in 2025, with a homicide rate of 51 per 100,000 people.