GUAYAQUIL (Ecuador) — Alex Quinonez, an Ecuadorian sprinter, was shot and killed in Guayaquil on Saturday, according to police.
Quinonez was 32 years old when he won the 200-meter final at London Games 2012. He finished seventh in the race won by Usain bolt.
Guayaquil’s El Universo reported Quinonez had been shot to death in the street of the northwest section of Guayaquil on Friday at 9:20 p.m. Another man was also injured.
No arrests were reported immediately.
Guillermo Lasso, Ecuador’s President, stated in a statement that the murders “will not be tolerated.”
The Ecuadorian Olympic Commission Olympic Committee also confirmed Quinonez’s passing in a statement released on Saturday. The Ecuadorian Olympic Committee Olympic Committee confirmed Quinonez’s death in a statement on Saturday.
Quinonez was awarded bronze in the 200 at Doha’s 2019 World Championship.
Andrea Sotomayor (secretary general of Ecuador’s Olympic Committee) expressed her grief and outrage via Twitter, decrying “so many evils.”
Sotomayor, who was previously Minister of Sport, wrote, “I don’t have the words to express my sadness, helplessness, and indignation that is overwhelming” “Alex Quinonez was a symbol of humility and a shining example of resilience. We feel the pain of his loss.
Guayaquil, as well as other Ecuadorian areas, has been plagued by high levels of crime. Lasso declared a state emergency this month to combat drug trafficking and other crimes. He said that the police and military will be on the streets to ensure security.
There have been several revolts in Mexico’s prisons this year due to drug violence. These have led to massacres by members of rival gangs that are linked to Mexican drug cartels. These compounds have seen the deaths of approximately 230 people.
