Ecuadorian footballer Jonathan “Speedy” González, age 31, was shot dead on Friday in Esmeraldas province — the third athlete killed in the country since early September, according to police.
González, who formerly played for Olimpia in Paraguay and León in Mexico and most recently with 22 de Julio FC, sustained fatal gunshot wounds during an attack inside a residence. A second person also died while being rushed to hospital.
The coastal province, bordering Colombia, has seen increasing violence tied to rival drug gangs. Authorities have not yet clarified a motive for González’s murder.
