Mexico influencer Cesar Gastelum shot dead during livestream in cartel-hit Sinaloa

A video of the attack shows Cesar Gastelum laughing with two friends in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant in Culiacan when two men arrived on a motorcycle. One of the assailants got off the bike, opened fire on the influencer and fled with his accomplice.

In Short

• Authorities suspect the killing was linked to cartel rivalries in Sinaloa
• Gunmen arrived on a motorcycle and fled after shooting him
• President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded arrests and clarity on the motive

A social media influencer was shot dead during a livestream with friends outside a fast-food restaurant in Mexico's violence-hit northwestern state of Sinaloa, authorities said on Wednesday, in the latest attack highlighting the dangers faced by online personalities in the country.

The victim, identified as Cesar Gastelum, was killed on Tuesday night in the state capital, Culiacan. Authorities indicated the killing was likely linked to cartel violence but did not attribute it to any specific criminal group.

A video capturing the attack shows Cesar Gastelum laughing with two other men in the parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet when two assailants arrived on a motorcycle. One of them got off, opened fire on the influencer and fled with the other attacker.

The attack occurred only a few blocks from the local prosecutor's office during peak traffic hours.

Mexico's Security Cabinet and local prosecutors said the investigation was underway, adding that Cesar Gastelum had reportedly posted videos referencing a faction of a criminal organisation.

President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the killing and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

"The perpetrators must be arrested. We must find out why this deplorable homicide occurred," she said during her morning press conference.

Cesar Gastelum had amassed more than 650,000 followers on TikTok, along with a sizeable following on Instagram and other social media platforms, where he regularly shared comedy videos set to Mexican regional music. In some of his posts, he described himself as "blico" - a term commonly associated with Mexico's cartel subculture.

Messages paying tribute to the influencer and wishing him to "rest in peace" flooded his social media accounts on Wednesday.

Sinaloa has been gripped by violent turf wars between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel in recent years, with the conflict frequently spilling onto the streets of Culiacan. At the peak of the violence, bodies were often left in public bearing symbols associated with the rival groups—Los Chapitos allegedly leaving pizzas or pizza boxes, while Los Mayos reportedly placed sombreros on victims, making the hats a risky symbol to wear in the city.

Cesar Gastelum was seen wearing a white sombrero in the livestream recorded shortly before he was shot.

On Wednesday, mourners lit candles at the spot where he was killed. His death marks the second fatal shooting of a content creator during a livestream in just over a year. In May 2025, 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Mrquez was shot dead while broadcasting live on TikTok from a beauty salon in Mexico's Jalisco state.

The killing comes as Mexico faces growing pressure from the Trump administration to intensify its crackdown on cartel violence.

Security experts say Gastlum's death reflects a broader pattern of criminal groups targeting social media influencers, particularly in cartel strongholds such as Sinaloa and Jalisco. According to Mexican security analyst David Saucedo, influencers may be threatened or killed for a variety of reasons, including alleged links to rival criminal factions, producing content for cartels, maintaining personal relationships with cartel members, laundering money or disseminating information.

"Cartels are interested in dictating and controlling the regions where they operate," Saucedo said, adding that they seek to turn influencers into "channels for disseminating criminal messages."

The killing also brought back memories of the May 2025 murder of Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Mrquez, who was shot dead while livestreaming on TikTok from the beauty salon where she worked in Zapopan, Jalisco. Prosecutors said a man entered the salon and opened fire, and the case was investigated as a suspected femicide.

In July, authorities arrested Ramón ngel lvarez Ayala, alias "El R-1", in Jalisco. Security Minister Omar Garca Harfuch identified him as the leader of a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Investigators have linked lvarez Ayala to Mrquez's killing and accused him of ordering and financing the November 2025 murder of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo.

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