A shooting at one of Mexico’s most well-known historic sites left one person dead and more than a dozen injured, after a gunman opened fire on tourists at the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacan, according to authorities and witness accounts, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The suspect, identified as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a 27-year-old Mexican national, carried out the attack on Monday at the ancient site, which draws visitors from around the world. Authorities said Ramírez climbed partway up the Pyramid of the Moon before opening fire on people below.
Footage captured by visitors shows Ramírez walking through the area with a backpack before taking a position on the structure. Moments later, gunfire erupted, sending tourists running for cover.
“Get down! Get down!” a bystander can be heard shouting as the shots began.
Witnesses described confusion and uncertainty as the situation unfolded.
“All we could hear is shot after shot … and we just didn’t know where these shots were going to. We didn’t know if they were coming towards us,” said Yazmin Salcedo of Texas, who was visiting with her family.
Salcedo’s husband, Joel Torres, recorded the incident while using a 360-degree camera during their trip. The couple said they were traveling with their son and daughter-in-law when the shooting began.
“He walked in front of us, sat himself down … It wasn’t even a minute. It was less than that when the first shot happened,” Torres said.
Torres added that the outcome could have been worse given the number of people present at the site.
“Thank God … there were not more people killed because he really had the opportunity to shoot everybody that he could out there,” he said.
Authorities reported that one Canadian woman was killed in the attack. In addition, multiple victims were transported to hospitals, including six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians, and one Canadian.
Investigators said Ramírez used a 1968 Smith & Wesson firearm during the shooting. After firing at bystanders, he later turned the weapon on himself, according to officials.
Law enforcement officers recovered the suspect at the scene and reported that he still had 58 rounds of unused ammunition in his possession.
The Pyramid of the Moon, part of the Teotihuacan archaeological complex, is nearly 2,000 years old and is a major destination for both domestic and international tourism. The site has historical significance and attracts large crowds daily.
Authorities have not released additional details about the motive behind the attack [2], but confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.
The incident has raised concerns about safety at major tourist locations, particularly those that draw large numbers of international visitors.