TikTok influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot dead while livestreaming on the platform, leaving behind a trail of questions and a community in shock.
Gastelum was livestreaming with two friends outside a restaurant in Tres Rios, a resort located in the city of Culiacan, when two men on a motorcycle drove up and shot him at close range. The two suspects then fled.
The shooting scene was taped off as police and forensic personnel investigated, examining cartridge casings and reviewing CCTV footage for clues. Police initially believed the shooting victim was a delivery driver due to the outfits worn by Gastelum and his friends, but authorities were later notified of Gastelum's identity.
Gastelum had nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and was known for his comedy videos. His killing comes amid constant violence in Culiacan, which has been at the center of conflict between rival organized crime factions.
The man's killing is not the first time a social media influencer has been killed in Mexico. In 2025, a woman named Valeria Marquez was shot dead while livestreaming on TikTok in the beauty salon where she worked.
A man had entered the salon and opened fire, killing Marquez. The killing was linked to a rival organized crime faction, with police accusing a senior figure in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel of ordering the hit.
Gastelum had previously posted about his connection to the world of social media influencers, including a photo of himself posing at the grave of Leobardo Aispuro, an influencer known as "El Gordo Peruci." Aispuro was shot and killed in December 2024, in a killing linked to warring factions of the Sinaloa cartel.
