Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot and killed on Tuesday while livestreaming a comedy challenge with friends outside a fast-food restaurant in Sinaloa state. Gastelum, who had over 600,000 followers on TikTok, was dressed as a food delivery worker for a challenge when a motorcycle carrying two individuals pulled up and one reportedly shot him in the head.
Local police confirmed Gastelum's death, which occurred in a busy shopping plaza in Culiacan, the state capital. Footage of the attack circulated online before being removed by TikTok. The livestream was halted immediately after the incident.
This incident is the latest in a series of attacks on Mexican influencers, which authorities have linked to gang violence. Earlier in the week, cartel boss Ramon Angel Alvarez Ayala was arrested and accused of ordering the murder of influencer Valeria Marquez, who was livestreaming from her salon after breaking up with his son.
Sinaloa has seen a pattern of violence targeting influencers. In 2024, YouTuber Miguel Vivanco was found dead with signs of torture. In 2022, TikToker Karla Pardini was shot outside her home after receiving a phone call. In January of this year, OnlyFans model Nicole Pardo Molina was abducted.
Culiacan is the capital of Sinaloa, a state known for the powerful local cartel that has experienced internal power struggles in recent years. Media reports indicate that around a dozen influencers, some allegedly connected to criminal gangs, have been killed in Sinaloa in recent years.
Authorities have been actively combating organized crime in the region. Last week, Ayala, a senior figure in the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), was captured following a car chase in Jalisco. He is accused of ordering hits, including the one on Marquez, where the assailant posed as a delivery driver.