A popular Mexican TikTok influencer has been shot dead by men on a motorbike near the northern city of Culiacan while he was livestreaming an event for his followers.
Culiacan is at the heart of ongoing violence between factions vying for control of the city. Mexican media have reported that at least ۱۲ social media influencers have been killed in Culiacan since September ۲۰۲۴.
The latest incident follows other similar killings, including that of beauty influencer Valeria Marquez in the western state of Jalisco in May ۲۰۲۵.
Here is what we know so far.
Who was Cesar Gastelum?
Gastelum, ۲۴, was a Mexican social media influencer who created comedy and lifestyle content, primarily on the social media platform TikTok.
Gastelum’s TikTok account, which last posted a video on Sunday, has more than ۷۰۰,۰۰۰ followers on his TikTok account.
What happened to him?
Gastelum was filming a regular livestream for his followers from a KFC car park in Tres Rios, Culiacan, northern Mexico, with two of his friends on Tuesday.
At about ۸:۱۵pm local time (۲:۱۵ am GMT), in the middle of the livestream, Gastelum was shot dead by men who approached on a motorbike, Mexican media reported.
The three men were wearing bright orange clothes and carrying delivery bags in the livestream, typically worn by drivers. This reportedly led the police to initially believe that Gastelum was a delivery driver.
A video of the moment of Gastelum’s death, seen by news agencies, shows him laughing with two other men in the car park when two men wearing helmets pull up on a motorcycle. One is seen pulling out a gun and shooting at Gastelum. The attackers then flee the scene.
The shooting took place close to the local prosecutor’s office.
The two men with Gastelum during the livestream were unharmed in the attack, local media reported.
What do we know about the motive for this killing?
So far, the authorities have not reported any arrests or assigned any motive behind Gastelum’s killing.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters on Wednesday that authorities are investigating the case.
“The actual perpetrators – and, if applicable, the mastermind – must be arrested, and the reason behind this tragic homicide must be uncovered,” she said during the morning news conference.
Mexico’s Federal Security Cabinet released a statement on X on Wednesday saying it was analysing various social media posts by Gastelum. The statement added that some of these posts made reference to a faction in a criminal group, but did not name the faction or criminal group, or provide further details.
Additionally, the Security Cabinet is assessing surveillance camera footage as part of the investigation.
The cabinet said that it is conducting the investigation alongside the attorney general’s office of the State of Sinaloa.
Sinaloa has suffered a severe internal turf war between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel following the July ۲۰۲۴ arrest of cofounder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, which has left a power vacuum.
In one of Gastelum’s social media posts, he can be seen at the grave of Leobardo Aispuro, or “El Gordo Peruci”, an influencer who was shot dead in December ۲۰۲۴.
Police said his killing may have been linked to violence between warring factions of the Sinaloa cartel.
Have other similar incidents taken place in Mexico?
Aispuro, or “El Gordo Peruci”, was a social media influencer who was shot dead in December ۲۰۲۴. Police said his killing may have been linked to cartel violence.
In May ۲۰۲۵, Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez, ۲۳, was shot dead also during a TikTok livestream at the salon where she worked in Zapopan, in the western state of Jalisco. A man had entered the salon and opened fire, according to prosecutors.
Her death was investigated under Mexico’s femicide protocols.
In July, Mexican authorities announced the arrest in Jalisco of Ramon Angel Alvarez Ayala, known as “El R-۱” whom Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch identified as the leader of a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Authorities have linked Alvarez Ayala to the killing of Marquez and accused him of ordering and financing the November ۲۰۲۵ murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo.
