An attempted murder was caught on camera when a gunman tried to kill a barber in broad daylight in a small barbershop in Quevedo, Ecuador. It happened around noon on Friday, May 23.
The gunman, casually dressed in a white shirt, shorts, and a crossbody bag, walked into the shop while the barber was attending to a customer. The attacker is seen carrying a gun as they enter, according to security footage. He went up to the barber, who was wearing a black shirt, and pointed the gun right at him.
The barber reacted instantly, scuttling behind a chair and yelling for assistance. The attacker’s weapon repeatedly malfunctioned and refused to fire despite the close proximity.
As the horrifying scene played out, two customers who were inside the store immediately rushed for their lives. The first appeared to be waiting for his turn, and the other was getting a cut and bolted from the chair when the attack began. The barber, clearly shaken and desperate, took cover behind a chair and screamed for assistance as the gun kept misfiring.
The attacker, seemingly frustrated that the gun wouldn’t fire, eventually gave up and left the shop. According to KrudPlug, the suspect fled in an unknown direction.
Another video clip, believed to be from the same incident, shows a fight breaking out on the street outside the shop. Several people appear to be scuffling with one individual, but it’s unclear if the gunman or the barber was part of that altercation.
Footage of the failed attack has been widely shared online. According to reports, the barber was not harmed during the ordeal. Two theories are currently making the rounds. One suggests the gunman was a hired hitman, sent to kill the barber for unknown reasons.
The other theory claims the attacker was an extortionist, demanding a cut of the barber’s earnings, which was called a “tax,” and targeted him after he refused to pay up. At this time, the police have not confirmed either theory.
