Kathmandu— Cesar Gastelum, a Mexican TikTok influencer with nearly 600,000 followers, was shot and killed on Tuesday during a live stream in Culiacan, Sinaloa. The incident occurred as he and two friends were dressed up as delivery drivers for a video challenge outside a fast food restaurant when a motorcycle carrying two individuals pulled up beside them and the driver opened fire.

Details of the Incident

During the livestream, footage showed the motorcycle driver shooting at Gastelum's head directly. The broadcast was cut off immediately after the shooting. Although TikTok removed the video from its platform, parts of it continued to circulate online. Local authorities confirmed Gastelum’s death and initiated a major security operation involving soldiers and police in the area near the state prosecutor's office in Culiacan.

Context of Violence

Culiacan has been experiencing heightened violence over the past two years due to an internal power struggle within the region’s dominant drug cartel. Local media reports indicate that several influencers, some allegedly linked to criminal groups, have also been killed in Sinaloa recently. The death of Gastelum echoes a similar incident involving beauty influencer Valeria Marquez, who was shot while livestreaming at her workplace in Zapopan, Jalisco, in May 2025.

(With inputs from DW)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.