The authorities in Mexico are still piecing together how a typical morning at the ancient pyramid complex of Teotihuacán, one of the country's foremost tourist destinations, descended into terrifying gun violence on Monday.
The video footage is disturbing. A gunman stands atop the imposing Pyramid of the Moon and opens fire on the tourists around him, who cower for cover among the pre-Hispanic stone structures.
After the ordeal, a 32-year-old Canadian woman had been killed and the gunman had died from a self-inflicted gun wound. Tourists from several nations, including Russia, Colombia and Brazil, were treated for their injuries in local hospitals.
The fact that visitors from overseas were targeted poses a headache for the government just weeks before Mexico co-hosts the men's football World Cup.
The shooting came less than two months after masked gunmen from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel unleashed a wave of violence, sowing fear across the country following the killing of their leader El Mencho by the security forces.
But this incident was very different. Mexican authorities say the Teotihuacán gunman acted alone and there was no apparent link to Mexico's widespread cartel violence.
He has been identified as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a Mexican citizen who lived in Mexico City. The attorney-general stated, The aggressor planned and carried out the attack on his own and there is absolutely no indication that he had any external help or that any other individuals were involved in this incident.
Among the gunman's belongings, officials found a handgun, a bag of cartridges, a tactical knife, and literature connected to past violent acts, including references to the Columbine shooting.
Dr. Valeria Villa, a family therapist, mentioned that this incident represents a worrying trend towards imitation of mass killings reminiscent of those previously seen in the United States, alongside Mexico's own high levels of violence driven by cartels.
Although President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the country's security improvements, this attack, along with previous violent incidents, raises serious concerns about safety for tourists, especially with the World Cup approaching.
The impact of this tragic event may have lasting effects on Mexico's tourism as authorities scramble to reassure visitors of their safety amid rising fears of violence.
