A social media influencer in Mexico was shot dead Tuesday night while streaming live on the site Kick, with viewers watching the event in real time, authorities said.
Cesar Gastelum, 25, was livestreaming outside a KFC in Culiacan, the capital city of Sinaloa state, around 8 p.m. local time when he was attacked. He was accompanied by two friends and dressed as a food delivery worker as part of a challenge.
Gastelum, who had nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and was known for making comedy videos, was approached by two individuals riding a motorcycle, both wearing helmets. According to a clip from the livestream, the rider appeared to shoot a gun right at Gastelum.
Video footage shows one of the assailants shooting a single round at GGastelum’shead before the duo escaped. The death of Gastelum, who died from a gunshot wound, was confirmed by the local police.
At first, reports said that a delivery worker died, but later the victim was identified.
The livestream was shut down and removed from the platform, although footage and pictures of the shooting continued to circulate online. A security official in Sinaloa confirmed the death and stated that a large-scale security operation is currently underway.
The shooting took place in a crowded shopping district located near the prosecutor’s office in Sinaloa. Military and police units were dispatched to the location while forensic specialists were collecting evidence and removing the body, according to video footage from local television stations.
In earlier parts of the livestream, the motorcycle riders passed Gastelum and his friends a few times before the shooting occurred. “Those kids scare me, man,” Gastelum said at one point, pointing out that the duo was riding their bike around them.
On Wednesday, the Federal Security Cabinet of Mexico said that investigators are looking into whether the shooting was linked to any of Gastelum’s social media posts, including one in which he mentioned a faction of a criminal organization. Federal authorities and the Sinaloa Prosecutor’s Office are reviewing surveillance footage and other evidence to identify the shooters.
So far, no arrests have been made.
The shooting comes as the violence in Culiacán continues to rise, as there have been clashes between rival factions of criminals over control of the area. According to a recent report by the International Crisis Group, the Los Mayos and Los Chapitos, which are factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, have been clashing since September 2024 over territory in Culiacán, Mazatlán, and other areas of Sinaloa state, using firearms, armored vehicles, and drones.
Creators of content have already experienced violence in the area. In January 2025, a small aircraft reportedly dropped pamphlets over Culiacan, threatening roughly 20 artists and YouTubers because of their dealings with a warring cartel faction.
