A Mexican influencer was shot useless on Tuesday whereas streaming stay on social media outdoors a restaurant in Sinaloa state, the place cartel and gang violence is rife.
Cesar Gastelum, who had greater than 600,000 followers on TikTok, was broadcasting with two mates — all dressed as meals supply employees as a part of a problem.
Video circulating on-line confirmed a bike carrying two individuals pull up beside them. Within the recording of the livestream, seen by the Reuters information company, the motive force of the motorbike appeared to fireplace a gun instantly at Gastelum.
Native police confirmed Gastelum’s loss of life.
The livestream was halted and later eliminated by the platform, although footage and pictures of the assault have continued to flow into.
Native police initially reported the loss of life of a supply employee, however later recognized the sufferer as Gastelum, who was reportedly 25 years previous and posted life-style content material.
The assault passed off in a busy procuring plaza close to the Sinaloa prosecutor’s workplace in Culiacan, the state capital.
Troopers and police have been deployed whereas forensic specialists collected proof and eliminated the physique, in keeping with footage from native TV stations.
The district has been troubled over the previous two years by inner struggles inside the highly effective native cartel.
Round a dozen influencers — some allegedly linked to legal gangs — have been killed lately in Sinaloa, native media stated.
Final 12 months, Mexican social media influencer Valeria Marquez was shot useless at a magnificence salon throughout a stay stream on TikTok, the place she had tens of 1000’s of followers. Prosecutors stated she gave the impression to be murdered by a success man and expressed concern earlier than being killed.
In July, authorities introduced the arrest in Jalisco of Ramon Angel Alvarez Ayala, whom officers linked to the killing of Marquez in addition to the November 2025 homicide of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo, Reuters reported.
Marquez’s homicide shocked Mexico — the place killings and kidnappings are a each day prevalence — and introduced into sharp focus each its femicide epidemic and rising violence towards influencers.
In January 2025, a small airplane was reported to have dropped pamphlets in Culiacan threatening round 20 artists and YouTubers for alleged dealings with a warring faction of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
Influencers have been focused in different elements of Latin America. Final 12 months in Venezuela, police arrested an alleged confederate within the homicide of a TikTok influencer who was killed throughout a livestream after denouncing members of the Tren de Aragua legal gang and allegedly corrupt law enforcement officials.
