Mexican authorities launched an investigation to uncover the motives behind the attack, which took place just before noon local time.
An armed man standing atop one of Mexico's historic Teotihuacan pyramids opened fire on tourists Monday, killing one Canadian and leaving at least 13 people injured at the archaeological site north of Mexico’s capital, authorities said.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The shooter was identified as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso of Mexico, a state official told the AP on condition of anonymity.
The local government said seven people were wounded by gunshots. How the other people were injured was not disclosed, but a number of people fell when the shooting started, some while climbing on the pyramids.
Those taken to hospitals for treatment included six US citizens, three Colombians, two Brazilians, one Russian and one Canadian, the local government said. The youngest person who was injured in the shooting was six, while the oldest was 61.
Video and photos circulating in local media in Mexico showed a man standing with a gun on top of a pyramid while people ducked for cover. A number of gunshots rang out in the videos.
The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 am local time when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon.
“Some people, because they were scared ... threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the guide said, recounting how the shooter, upon seeing the tourists descending the pyramid’s steps, began firing.
“There were thousands of people there and there were a lot of gunshots that just kept coming,” said Brenda Lee, a Canadian tourist. She added that the scene quickly turned chaotic as people tried to escape.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian embassy.
“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a post on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones."
Officials later detailed that Jasso had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, adding that they found a gun, knife and ammunition on his person upon searching his belongings after his death.
The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilisations.
As one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations, the site draws more than 1.8 million international visitors a year, according to the latest government figures.