Former Ecuador international Mario Pineida has died after he was shot by armed assistants in the country’s city of Guayaquil amid escalation of violence in the area.

The incident occurred on Wednesday when two individuals on motorcycle opened fire on Pineida while standing in front of a shop in the city alongside his mother and another woman.

Ecuadorian police said Pineida died as a result of the injuries he sustained. Another person who police did not identify was also killed in the incident, and a third was wounded.

He was 33.

“You’ll always have a special place in the world of FC Barcelona fandom, Marito, you earned it with all that you gave. Thanks for everything, we miss you. Forever Mario,” Pineida’s club, Barcelona SC, said in a tribute to the player on Thursday.

Pineida began his professional career with Independiente DV before joining Barcelona SC in 2016. He also earned nine senior caps for the Ecuador national team between 2014 and 2021.

The player’s assassination further exposed the serious nature of the rising violence crisis in Guayaquil, which is by far the most dangerous city in Ecuador. The city recorded 1,900 murders between January and September of this year alone.

In September, three second-tier footballers were killed in the city while one local player was wounded in a shooting in October.

Meanwhile, Spanish giants Real Madrid have commiserated with the Ecuadorian club over the incident, stating “Real Madrid, its president and its Board of Directors deeply lament the passing of Mario Pineida, the @BarcelonaSC player. We send our condolences to his club, his family and to all of his loved ones. Rest in peace.”