Gunman Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez Kills Canadian Woman in Teotihuacán Pyramids Shooting

A lone gunman opened fire at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids, killing a Canadian woman and injuring at least 13 people, according to Mexican officials and multiple outlets.

The shooting occurred at the Teotihuacán archeological zone, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, about 30 miles north of Mexico City, with the attack beginning around 11:00 local time on Monday and first reports arriving at 11:20 a.m., according to the BBC and ABC News.

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CNN reported that the gunman was on top of the Pyramid of the Moon, where videos showed him pacing as tourists lay on the floor next to him.

CBS News said the gunman killed the Canadian woman while visiting the pyramids and injured at least 13 people, including seven Americans, and that the shooter “is believe to have taken his own life.”

Local prosecutors identified the gunman as Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, a Mexican national, and the BBC said he killed himself after the attack.

Police and security officials recovered a firearm, a bladed weapon, and live cartridges at the scene, the BBC reported, while CBS News said Mexico’s Security Cabinet found a firearm, a bladed weapon and ammunition.

The attack’s location was repeatedly tied to the Pyramid of the Moon, with CNN describing tourists lying atop it as the shooting unfolded and NBC News placing the gunman “barely 40 feet” from an American tourist who jumped for cover.

Accounts of the attack’s timeline and immediate response emphasized both the gunman’s positioning and the speed of the security reaction.

The BBC reported that a witness said the attack began at about 11:00 local time on Monday, and that the gunman was on the temple’s mezzanine and appeared to fire most shots into the air while carrying a digital tablet and shouting.

ABC News

CNN said authorities received the first report around 11:20 a.m. local time, and that after members of the National Guard arrived around 11:30 a.m., the attacker fired shots in their direction and guardsmen returned fire, wounding the shooter in the leg before he took his life.

ABC News described the gunman firing upon tourists from atop one of the pyramids while armed with a revolver that he reloaded at least twice before dying by suicide, and it said the gunman held a plastic bag containing 52 rounds of ammunition.

NBC News described a survivor, Greg Magadini of Boise, Idaho, saying the gunman was standing some 40 feet away when Magadini jumped about 15 feet off the pyramid's ledge to find cover.

NBC News also quoted another American tourist, Abigail Stoddard, who said, “We started to hear gunshots and we didn’t think anything of it because we were told maybe there were fireworks.”

In video described by CBS News, a man with a gun paced near the top of the Pyramid of the Moon, and the gunman could be heard telling responding officers, “I have hostages and if you try to climb up I'll kill them,” and “If you move I will sacrifice you.”

Mexican officials framed the attack as planned and tied it to violent incidents in the United States, while also describing the evidence they said they recovered.

CNN reported that José Luis Cervantes Martínez, the attorney general of the State of Mexico, told a press conference, “Based on the investigative steps taken, it appears this act was not spontaneous. The attacker planned and carried out his action alone,” and it said the attacker acted alone and had no ties to criminal groups or drug cartels.

ABC News similarly said investigative findings indicated the attack was “not spontaneous,” and that the attacker had previously visited the archaeological site on several occasions and stayed in nearby hotels before planning and carrying out his actions.

CNN added that Sheinbaum insisted her country is safe for tourists and said authorities will reinforce security, while also quoting Sheinbaum’s statement that “We have never witnessed anything like this in Mexico before; it is the first time such an event has occurred.”

Multiple outlets described the gunman’s materials as referencing Columbine, with CNN saying he carried a backpack containing handwritten notes related to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado and with ABC News stating the shooting occurred on the same day as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

NBC News reported that Mexican Attorney General José Luis Cervantes Martínez said authorities found a backpack containing “literature, images and handwritten notes” related to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, and it said the evidence collected so far “suggests a psychopathic profile of the aggressor.”

The evidence described by officials included a firearm, a knife, ammunition, and handwritten materials, with NBC News saying Cervantes Martínez said the backpack contained a firearm, a blade and 52 live rounds of ammunition.

Witness accounts described confusion, sudden gunfire, and chaotic attempts to escape the Pyramid of the Moon.

The BBC quoted a British couple from London describing “chaotic scenes amid the sound of gunfire,” saying, “There was a big push and panic of everybody running at the same time to get out,” and they added that there was “no coordinated evacuation whatsoever.”

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The BBC said the couple persuaded their tour group to make their way to an exit, but they saw tourists still entering the site as they reached ticket gates.

NBC News described Greg Magadini of Boise, Idaho, saying he was “standing barely 40 feet from a gunman,” and he recalled the first shot sounding like “a big crack.”

NBC News also quoted Magadini saying, “It was really scary,” and it described how he jumped about 15 feet off a ledge to find cover while his friend hurt her ankle.

NBC News quoted Abigail Stoddard saying, “We started to hear gunshots and we didn’t think anything of it because we were told maybe there were fireworks,” and it said she hid behind a wall after seeing people running.

The Toronto Star described Greg Magadini’s account that shots seemed to ring out every five seconds as he and others jumped down more ledges, and it quoted him saying, “Everyone was a target.”

After the shooting, Mexican authorities moved to increase security at tourist sites and archaeological locations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while foreign governments and officials expressed condolences and offered assistance.

CNN said Omar García Harfuch told reporters that, “Following the president’s instructions, security will now also be strengthened at archaeological sites, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and other authorities, in matters related to the World Cup,” and it quoted him adding, “We are convinced that World Cup security is guaranteed.”

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NPR reported that Mexico’s government said it was beefing up security at tourist sites after the Monday shooting less than two months before the FIFA World Cup, and it quoted Sheinbaum saying, “In light of this event, it is necessary to strengthen inspections to prevent anyone from entering an archaeological site or public space with a firearm.”

NBC News said the Teotihuacán archeological site would reopen on Wednesday, but “access to the Pyramid of the Moon will remain closed until further notice,” according to officials.

The Toronto Star reported that Omar García Harfuch said major tourist destinations would see a heightened presence of both ground forces and digital “cyber patrols” to prevent threats, and it quoted Sheinbaum saying, “Yesterday’s attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols.”

The BBC reported that Sheinbaum wrote, “What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” and it said she instructed her security cabinet to investigate and provide all necessary support.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed condolences, with the BBC quoting him calling it “a terrible circumstance,” and it said Canada is working with Mexican authorities on the incident.