A Mexican social media personality known for comedy and lifestyle content has been fatally shot while broadcasting live on an unspecified platform. César Gastélum, who boasted over 500,000 followers on TikTok, was filming outside a fast food establishment in Tres Ríos, located in the northern city of Culiacán, when the attack occurred on Tuesday evening. Two individuals on a motorcycle approached and one opened fire at close range, killing the influencer as his friends watched.
At the time of the incident, Gastélum and his companions were dressed in bright orange delivery driver uniforms, initially misleading authorities about the victim’s profession. Investigators have since secured the scene and are analyzing security footage and ballistic evidence. The attackers fled on their motorcycle, and no suspects have been apprehended. Authorities have not yet determined whether the influencer had received prior threats.
This tragedy marks another deadly incident targeting Mexican content creators. Last year, 23-year-old Valeria Márquez was murdered in similar circumstances during a TikTok livestream at a beauty salon. The killing occurs amid escalating violence in Sinaloa state, where a territorial conflict between rival drug cartel factions has intensified since September 2024. A previous influencer death in December was potentially connected to this same gang rivalry.
About the Author
