Mexican TikTok creator Cesar Gastelum was fatally shot on Tuesday evening while livestreaming with a group of friends outside a fast-food restaurant in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state, according to local authorities.
Gastelum, who had built a following of nearly 600,000 on TikTok through his comedy videos, was broadcasting live when two helmeted individuals on a motorcycle approached him and his friends.
Footage from the livestream, reviewed by Reuters, reportedly shows the motorcycle rider opening fire directly at the influencer before fleeing the scene.
A security official in Sinaloa confirmed Gastelum’s death and said authorities immediately launched a large-scale security operation following the attack.
The incident occurred in Culiacán, a city that has experienced prolonged violence as rival criminal groups continue to battle for territorial control, resulting in a series of high-profile attacks in recent years.
Gastelum’s death has drawn immediate comparisons to the May 2025 killing of Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez, who was 23 when she was shot dead while livestreaming from the salon where she worked in Zapopan, Jalisco.
In that case, prosecutors said a gunman entered the salon and opened fire, prompting an investigation under femicide protocols. In July, Mexican authorities announced the arrest of Ramon Angel Alvarez Ayala, also known as “El R-1,” in Jalisco.
Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch identified Alvarez Ayala as the leader of a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Authorities alleged he was connected not only to Marquez’s murder but also to the November 2025 killing of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo, accusing him of ordering and financing that attack.
Gastelum’s killing has sparked widespread shock online, with many expressing concern over the growing dangers faced by content creators amid escalating violence in parts of Mexico.
