Gunman kills Canadian tourist at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids

Published 21 Apr, 2026 11:17am 2 min read

A gunman shot dead ‌a Canadian woman as he opened fire at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday before killing himself, authorities said, in a rare attack at a major tourist attraction.

Security authorities said 13 people were injured in the incident. It was not immediately ​clear how many were shot. One witness, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that a young boy ​was shot in the leg.

Local prosecutors said in a post on X that ⁠the gunman was Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, a Mexican national. They did not provide further details.

The shooting ​began just after 11am at the Pyramid of the Moon, one of the most prominent structures ​at the site outside Mexico City, according to the witness, who had just descended from the temple’s mezzanine when they heard “pops” and saw a stampede of visitors.

The gunman remained at the top of the mezzanine, the witness said, adding that ​he appeared to fire most shots into the air, rather than directly at people, while carrying a digital ​tablet and shouting.

Bystanders, including some with medical training, provided first aid to the injured, using water bottles and clean cloths ‌to ⁠slow bleeding until paramedics arrived, the witness added.

Security authorities said some of the injured had been taken to hospitals, including three Colombians, one of whom was a 6-year-old child, as well as US, Russian and Brazilian nationals.

A second Canadian was also wounded in the attack, according to a post on X from Canada’s ​Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

President ​Claudia Sheinbaum said in ⁠a post on social media: “What happened today in Teotihuacan pains us deeply. I express my deepest sympathy to those affected and their families.”

The shooting is set ​to increase scrutiny of Mexico’s security at major tourist and cultural sites as ​it prepares ⁠to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The event is expected to draw millions of visitors from abroad.

The pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan was one of the most important cultural centres in ⁠Mesoamerica, and ​it is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist sites, receiving ​1.8 million visitors last year.

While Mexico has many shooting incidents due to cartel activity, violence at tourist attractions is rare.

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