Julio César Jasso Ramírez Kills Canadian Tourist in Teotihuacán Pyramids Shooting

A gunman opened fire on tourists at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids on Monday, killing at least one Canadian woman and injuring multiple other people at the historic archaeological site north of Mexico City.

CNN reported that “At least one person, a Canadian woman, was killed in the Monday attack in Mexico’s Teotihuacán archeological zone,” and said the attack happened as tourists were on the Pyramid of the Moon.

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NBC4 Washington described the incident as “a man armed with a gun opened fire on Monday at the historic Teotihuacán pyramids, leaving one Canadian tourist dead and six people injured,” and said the shooter later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Multiple outlets placed the shooting shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time, with CNN saying authorities received the first report around “11:20 a.m. local time” and NBC4 Washington saying the guide was leading people down “around 11:30 a.m.” while the shooting began.

CNN said the gunman paced atop the Pyramid of the Moon, where “a crowd of tourists lay on the floor next to him,” and that after the National Guard arrived around 11:30 a.m., “the attacker fired shots in their direction.”

The shooter was identified as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, and CNN quoted State of Mexico Attorney General José Luis Cervantes Martínez saying, “Based on the investigative steps taken, it appears this act was not spontaneous. The attacker planned and carried out his action alone.”

Mexican authorities described the attack as a planned act carried out by a lone gunman, while also linking the incident to broader concerns about security at major public sites.

CNN said the National Guard arrived around 11:30 a.m. and that “the guardsmen returned fire, wounding the shooter in the leg before he took his life,” and it described the shooter as acting alone with “no ties to criminal groups or drug cartels.”

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CNN also reported that officials said the gunman visited the archaeological zone several times, staying in nearby hotels before the deadly incident, and that Sheinbaum said, “We have never witnessed anything like this in Mexico before; it is the first time such an event has occurred.”

NBC4 Washington added that “In the past years, staff at the archaeological site used to carry out security scans before people entered the area but had stopped doing this since,” and said authorities found a gun, a knife and ammunition after the shooting.

Xinhua reported that Mexican authorities said the attack was “not connected to organized crime, but rather the consequence of a disturbed mind influenced by mass shootings abroad,” and said Sheinbaum addressed the shooting during her daily press conference.

DW said Mexican authorities told reporters the gunman carried materials related to attacks in the United States, and it quoted José Luis Cervantes saying, “This act was not spontaneous.”

PBS similarly reported that authorities said the gunman carried “several books and handwritten notes that belonged to the gunman and referenced attacks in the United States in April 1999,” and it described the attack as happening “less than two months before Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.”

Officials and witnesses described both the immediate chaos and the official interpretation of the shooter’s motives, with multiple named voices appearing across the reporting.

CNN quoted State of Mexico Attorney General José Luis Cervantes Martínez saying, “Based on the investigative steps taken, it appears this act was not spontaneous. The attacker planned and carried out his action alone,” and it also quoted Sheinbaum insisting the country is safe for tourists while saying, “We have never witnessed anything like this in Mexico before; it is the first time such an event has occurred.”

NBC4 Washington included a tour guide’s account, with the guide saying, “When he saw that we were descending he began to shoot downward,” and adding that he heard “between 20 and 30 gunshots ring out before security officials arrived.”

NBC4 Washington also reported that Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy, and it quoted her message: “What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families.”

Canada’s foreign affairs minister Anita Anand said on X that “a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán,” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”

PBS quoted Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum saying, “Yesterday's attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols,” and it also quoted her noting the importance of analyzing “external influences” that may provoke such violence within the country.

In addition, CNN quoted Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch saying, “We are convinced that World Cup security is guaranteed,” and it quoted him about strengthening security at archaeological sites in coordination with the Ministry of Culture.

The reporting diverged on key details including the number of injured and the overall death toll, and it also differed in how it framed the shooter’s motivation.

CNN said “Seven other foreign nationals – including two Americans – were wounded by gunshots, and another six foreigners suffered varying injuries during the chaos,” while NBC4 Washington reported “one Canadian tourist dead and six people injured,” and said “four people were wounded by gunshots and two were injured from falls.”

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Xinhua said the shooting “claimed the life of a Canadian woman and left 13 tourists injured, including a teenager and a child,” while Euronews said the attack left “at least 13 people injured” and reported “seven people were wounded by gunshots.”

DW and PBS both emphasized the Columbine connection through materials found on the suspect, with DW saying the gunman carried “several books and handwritten notes that referenced attacks in the United States in April, 1999,” and PBS saying officials referred to “several books and handwritten notes” and that the gunman carried “a photo modified by artificial intelligence showing him alongside the Columbine attackers.”

CNN also described the Columbine anniversary and said the incident occurred on “the 27th anniversary of the Columbine attack,” while noting that Cervantes Martínez said the attacker carried “a backpack containing handwritten notes related to violent events that occurred in the United States in April 1999.”

At the same time, Xinhua framed the motive as “copycat syndrome,” saying investigators suggested the shooter suffered from “copycat syndrome, a phenomenon where an individual emulates the actions of others after being exposed to media coverage,” while CNN described the attacker as having “psychological issues” and being influenced by incidents abroad.

These differences appeared alongside varying descriptions of what security measures existed before the attack, with NBC4 Washington saying security scans had stopped, and CNN saying Sheinbaum acknowledged that “archaeological sites don’t have security checkpoints.”

The attack landed weeks ahead of Mexico’s World Cup preparations, and officials tied the response directly to the tournament’s security planning.

CNN said Mexico is set to co-host millions of soccer fans and that “Five soccer matches are expected to be played in the capital city when the global tournament kicks off in July,” while also reporting that Mexico is set to host 13 matches from June 11 to July 5 in three cities including its capital.

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CNN quoted Omar García Harfuch saying, “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 added, “We are convinced that World Cup security is guaranteed.”

PBS reported that Mexico’s security secretary 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.”

Xinhua said Sheinbaum ordered the National Guard to reinforce security at entrances, saying, “I also asked the commander of the National Guard to reinforce security at the entrances, not only in Teotihuacan but in all archaeological sites,” and it said the measures were announced after the incident.

CNN also described how Sheinbaum said the attacker was able to enter Teotihuacán with a gun because archaeological sites don’t have security checkpoints, and she said, “Now that this situation has arisen, obviously, as authorities, we have to increase security checks to ensure that no one enters an archaeological site or public place with a firearm.”

The reporting also included details about the scale of tourism and the immediate international impact, with NBC4 Washington saying the site drew “more than 1.8 million international visitors last year” and with CNN saying the attack involved foreign nationals including “two Americans.”