MEXICO CITY — An armed man atop one of the Teotihuacan pyramids opened fire on tourists Monday, killing one Canadian and injuring at least 13 people at the archaeological site north of Mexico City, authorities said.
The shooter was identified as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso of Mexico, a state official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Authorities later said Jasso died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Security officials recovered a gun, a knife and ammunition. The State of Mexico government confirmed Jasso was the sole assailant.
Local authorities said seven people were wounded by gunshots; the other injuries were not detailed but several people fell while trying to flee the site. Those taken to hospitals included six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians and one Canadian. Mexican officials said the youngest injured person was 6 and the oldest 61.
Video and photos published by local media showed a man identified as Jasso standing with a gun on top of a pyramid while people ducked for cover as gunshots rang out. The shooting occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. A tour guide at the scene told the AP the gunman began firing upward and then fired again as people descended the pyramid’s steps; the guide spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
“Some people, because they were scared … threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the guide recounted. Another group of visitors lay motionless on the pyramid’s platform to avoid being targeted. Brenda Lee of Vancouver said she and others initially thought the sounds were firecrackers until someone shouted that it was gunfire and people ran. She described the scene as chaotic and said she saw a person jump and fall while trying to escape.
The Teotihuacan site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations, drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year. A local guide noted that staff once conducted security scans before entry but have since stopped.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Anita Anand, said on X that a Canadian was killed and another wounded “as a result of a horrific act of gun violence.” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson expressed deep concern and sadness and offered U.S. support as Mexican authorities continue their investigation.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History said the Teotihuacan archaeological site will remain closed until further notice.