Mexican pyramid shooting leaves Canadian tourist dead, 13 injured at Teotihuacán

The attack at Teotihuacán turned one of Mexico’s most visited monuments into a crime scene, with a gunman firing from the Pyramid of the Moon into crowds below and killing a Canadian woman before dying by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities said at least 13 other people were hurt in the chaos, and the archaeological zone was closed Tuesday after the shooting.

Mexican officials identified the suspect as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, 27, a native of Guerrero. They said he carried a tactical-style backpack that contained an analog cellphone, bus tickets, and “literature, images and manuscripts” tied to violent incidents known to have occurred in the United States in April 1999, a detail that raised immediate concern about copycat violence and the export of U.S. mass-shooting mythology across borders. The materials appeared to point toward Columbine, the 1999 attack in Littleton, Colorado, that has become a grim reference point for extremists and unstable attackers around the world.

The victims reflected the international reach of the site and the attack. Mexican authorities said the injured included six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, one Brazilian, one Dutch national and one other Canadian. A 6-year-old boy was among those hurt, while the oldest victim was 61. Seven people were wounded by gunfire; others were injured in falls or during the panic as visitors ran for safety. Officials said the wounded were in stable condition after spending the night at a clinic.

Teotihuacán, about 50 kilometers northeast of Mexico City, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D. The ancient city, known for the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, making the shooting a stark security failure at a landmark central to Mexico’s tourism economy. The attack is also likely to intensify scrutiny of security at major cultural sites as Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Canada.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed solidarity with the victim and the wounded. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked her for her “personal attention” to the case, saying, “Our hearts go out to family and friends.” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Canada was in “close contact” with Mexican officials and would leave “no stone unturned” in supporting Canadians abroad and in ensuring the investigation uncovers the facts.