Tragedy at Teotihuacán: Gunman's Disturbing Links to Violence Uncovered

Wed Apr 22 2026 15:00:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A mass shooting at Mexico's historic Teotihuacán pyramids leaves one dead and several injured, revealing the shooter's troubling connection to past violent incidents, including references to the Columbine massacre.

A recently concluded investigation into the shooting incident at the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacán has revealed that the gunman, Julio César Jasso Ramírez, had literature and psychological issues linked to prior mass shootings, including the infamous Columbine massacre. In the tragic event, a Canadian tourist was killed, and fourteen others were injured. Mexican authorities are taking measures to enhance security at archaeological sites as they prepare for an upcoming global football event.

The gunman who opened fire atop Mexico's ancient Pyramid of the Moon appeared to have been influenced by other violent shootings and showed signs of psychological problems, the country's president said on Tuesday.

Julio César Jasso Ramírez, 27, a Mexican national, carried a handgun, dozens of cartridges, a knife and literature referencing acts of violence, officials said on Tuesday.

Mexico's top prosecutor said Jasso Ramírez planned and carried out the attack alone. The gunman fatally shot himself after a standoff with police.

A Canadian woman was killed, and 13 others were injured at the popular tourist site northwest of Mexico City.

Based on everything indicated by the prosecutorial authorities, this person showed signs of psychological problems and was influenced by incidents that occurred abroad, President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a Tuesday media conference.

The gunman carried documents that apparently referenced the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in the US, according to José Luis Cervantes Martínez, attorney general of the State of Mexico.

Among his belongings, authorities also found ... literature, images and documents allegedly related to acts of violence that ... may have occurred in the United States in April 1999, he said.

Teotihuacán, the collection of ancient, pre-Hispanic pyramids and temples and listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, was closed in the wake of the shooting. The site, which attracted about 1.8 million visitors last year, will reopen on Wednesday with reinforced security, Sheinbaum said.

Looking ahead to the summer's World Cup football matches, Sheinbaum vowed to guarantee safety during the global football event, which kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City.