Who was Cesar Gastelum, Mexican TikToker shot dead mid-livestream?

A fashionable Mexican TikTok influencer has been changeable dormant by men connected a motorbike adjacent the bluish metropolis of Culiacan portion helium was livestreaming an lawsuit for his followers.

Culiacan is astatine the bosom of ongoing unit betwixt factions vying for power of the city. Mexican media person reported that astatine slightest 12 societal media influencers person been killed successful Culiacan since September 2024.

The latest incidental follows different akin killings, including that of quality influencer Valeria Marquez successful the occidental authorities of Jalisco successful May 2025.

Here is what we cognize truthful far.

Who was Cesar Gastelum?

Gastelum, 24, was a Mexican societal media influencer who created drama and manner content, chiefly connected the societal media level TikTok.

Gastelum’s TikTok account, which past posted a video connected Sunday, has much than 700,000 followers connected his TikTok account.

What happened to him?

Gastelum was filming a regular livestream for his followers from a KFC car parkland successful Tres Rios, Culiacan, bluish Mexico, with 2 of his friends connected Tuesday.

At astir 8:15pm section clip (2:15 americium GMT), successful the mediate of the livestream, Gastelum was changeable dormant by men who approached connected a motorbike, Mexican media reported.

The 3 men were wearing agleam orangish apparel and carrying transportation bags successful the livestream, typically worn by drivers. This reportedly led the constabulary to initially judge that Gastelum was a transportation driver.

A video of the infinitesimal of Gastelum’s death, seen by quality agencies, shows him laughing with 2 different men successful the car parkland erstwhile 2 men wearing helmets propulsion up connected a motorcycle. One is seen pulling retired a weapon and shooting astatine Gastelum. The attackers past fly the scene.

The shooting took spot adjacent to the section prosecutor’s office.

The 2 men with Gastelum during the livestream were unharmed successful the attack, section media reported.

What bash we cognize astir the motive for this killing?

So far, the authorities person not reported immoderate arrests oregon assigned immoderate motive down Gastelum’s killing.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters connected Wednesday that authorities are investigating the case.

“The existent perpetrators – and, if applicable, the mastermind – indispensable beryllium arrested, and the crushed down this tragic homicide indispensable beryllium uncovered,” she said during the greeting quality conference.

Mexico’s Federal Security Cabinet released a connection connected X connected Wednesday saying it was analysing assorted societal media posts by Gastelum. The connection added that immoderate of these posts made notation to a faction successful a transgression group, but did not sanction the faction oregon transgression group, oregon supply further details.

Additionally, the Security Cabinet is assessing surveillance camera footage arsenic portion of the investigation.

The furniture said that it is conducting the probe alongside the lawyer general’s bureau of the State of Sinaloa.

Sinaloa has suffered a terrible interior turf war betwixt rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel pursuing the July 2024 apprehension of cofounder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, which has near a powerfulness vacuum.

In 1 of Gastelum’s societal media posts, helium tin beryllium seen astatine the sedate of Leobardo Aispuro, oregon “El Gordo Peruci”, an influencer who was changeable dormant successful December 2024.

Police said his sidesplitting whitethorn person been linked to unit betwixt warring factions of the Sinaloa cartel.

Have different akin incidents taken spot successful Mexico?

Aispuro, oregon “El Gordo Peruci”, was a societal media influencer who was changeable dormant successful December 2024. Police said his sidesplitting whitethorn person been linked to cartel violence.

In May 2025, Mexican quality influencer Valeria Marquez, 23, was changeable dormant besides during a TikTok livestream astatine the salon wherever she worked successful Zapopan, successful the occidental authorities of Jalisco. A antheral had entered the salon and opened fire, according to prosecutors.

Her decease was investigated nether Mexico’s femicide protocols.

In July, Mexican authorities announced the apprehension successful Jalisco of Ramon Angel Alvarez Ayala, ⁠known arsenic “El R-1” whom Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch identified arsenic the person of a transgression compartment linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Authorities person ⁠linked Alvarez Ayala to the sidesplitting of Marquez and accused him of ordering and financing the November 2025 execution of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo.