Mexican TikTok influencer Cesar Gastelum fatally shot during Culiacan livestream

Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot and killed while livestreaming with friends in Culiacan, a city in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa.

Gastelum, who had nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and was known for comedy videos, was streaming live outside ⁠a fast-food restaurant when two helmeted individuals on a motorcycle approached him and his friends.

In a recording of the livestream, the driver of the motorcycle appeared to fire a gun directly at Gastelum.

According to Mexico local authorities, a security official in Sinaloa state confirmed Gastelum's death and said a significant security operation was underway.

As reported by Reuters, the killing comes amid persistent violence in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa, which has been at the center of a conflict between rival organized crime factions ⁠competing for control.

The shooting also recalled the May 2025 killing of Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez, who was shot to death during a TikTok livestream at the salon where she worked in Zapopan, in the western state of Jalisco.

According to prosecutors, 23-years-old Marquez was killed after ⁠a man entered the salon and opened fire. Her death was later investigated under femicide protocols.