A mass shooting at the ancient Teotihuacan pyramids near Mexico City on Monday (April 20) left a Canadian woman dead and at least 13 people injured, including six Americans, according to Mexican authorities. The incident, which occurred at one of Mexico’s most significant tourist destinations, sent crowds fleeing in panic as gunfire erupted around 11:30 a.m. local time.
Officials identified the shooter as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a Mexican national who reportedly acted alone before taking his own life. Police recovered a firearm, a bladed weapon, and live ammunition at the scene. The ages of those injured ranged from six to 61 and included tourists from Colombia, Russia, Brazil, and Canada, as well as several Americans.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as visitors scrambled for safety. “There was a big push and panic of everybody running at the same time to get out,” a British tourist told the BBC. Some visitors reportedly threw themselves to the ground or clung to the pyramid steps to avoid being hit.
The Canadian woman killed has not yet been publicly identified. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand expressed condolences and said Canadian officials were working with Mexican authorities. “As a result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán, Mexico,” Anand stated on X.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had instructed her security cabinet to thoroughly investigate the shooting and provide full support to the victims and their families. “What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” Sheinbaum wrote on X.
Authorities confirmed that at least five injured people, including four Americans, had been released from hospitals by Tuesday (April 21). The National Institute of Anthropology and History announced the site would remain closed until further notice.
An investigation is ongoing, and Mexican officials are working with affected countries to support the victims and their families
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