Social media influencer shot dead during livestream in Sinaloa

A gunman opened fire on social media influencer César Gastélum during a livestream in Culiacán, the capital of Mexico's northwestern state of Sinaloa, on Tuesday night. The shooting was captured on video, showing Gastélum laughing with two companions in a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot before a motorcyclist approached, drew a weapon and fired. The assailants fled the scene, which was located a few blocks from the local prosecutor’s office during rush hour.

Mexican authorities said the killing appears linked to ongoing cartel violence, though no specific group was identified. The Security Cabinet and local prosecutors said an investigation is under way and noted that Gastélum had previously posted videos that "alluded to a faction of a criminal group." President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters that the perpetrators must be arrested and that officials need to determine why the homicide occurred.

Gastélum, who had more than 650,000 TikTok followers and a presence on Instagram, was known for comedy videos set to regional Mexican music and occasionally referred to himself as “bélico,” a term associated with cartel subculture. He was wearing a white sombrero at the time of the attack. After the incident, condolences were posted on his social media accounts and candles were lit at the location of the shooting.

The incident follows a similar killing of beauty influencer Valeria Márquez in May 2025, who was shot while livestreaming in Jalisco. Security analyst David Saucedo said influencers are targeted for various reasons, including alleged ties to criminal factions, involvement in money-laundering, or the use of their platforms to spread cartel messages. He warned that cartels seek to control regional narratives by turning influencers into channels for their communications.