Julio César Jasso Ramírez Kills Canadian Woman in Teotihuacán Pyramids Shooting

A gunman opened fire on tourists at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids, killing a Canadian woman and injuring people at the UNESCO World Heritage site north of Mexico City, before taking his own life.

“An armed man standing atop one of the historic Teotihuacán pyramids opened fire on tourists Monday, killing one Canadian and leaving at least 13 people injured at the archaeological site north of Mexico’s capital, authorities said”

AP News

Mexican officials said the attack happened at the archaeological site in the State of Mexico, with CNN describing it as occurring at Mexico’s historic Pyramid of the Moon and “at least one person, a Canadian woman, was killed.”

AP News

The BBC reported that “A 32-year-old Canadian woman has been killed and 13 people injured,” while CBC said Mexican officials “have unveiled new details surrounding the shooting at Teotihuacán pyramids that killed one Canadian woman and injured 13 others.”

The casualty counts diverged across outlets: PBS (AP) said the day after the attack that “Seven people were wounded,” CNN said “Seven other foreign nationals – including two Americans – were wounded,” and Time said “At least 13 people were injured, with seven wounded by gunfire.”

Multiple reports also described the timing and immediate response, with CNN saying authorities received the first report “around 11:20 a.m. local time” and that members of the National Guard arrived “around 11:30 a.m.”

The gunman was identified as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, and CBC and BBC both said he killed himself after the attack, with CBC stating he “later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

Mexican security officials and prosecutors described a detailed sequence in which the attacker arrived at Teotihuacán, climbed the Pyramid of the Moon, and fired at visitors before being shot in the leg by National Guard members and then turning the gun on himself.

PBS (AP) reported that authorities identified the attacker as “27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez,” who “arrived in Teotihuacan a day earlier in an Uber and stayed in a hotel,” and that “Monday shortly before noon” he began firing while on top of the pyramid.

BBC

PBS also said the gunman acted alone and that security officials found “a gun, a knife and ammunition at the scene,” while CNN said the attacker “acted alone and had no ties to criminal groups or drug cartels.”

CBC provided a timeline, saying “the first report came into police at 11:20 a.m. local time Monday” and that “By 11:30 a.m., armed members of the National Guard arrived and shot the assailant, 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, in the leg.”

CBC added that the assailant was holding “52 cartridges of a special calibre in a plastic bag while firing,” and that investigators found pamphlets related to “an April 1999 shooting in the U.S.”

CNN and Los Angeles Times both described the attack as premeditated, with CNN quoting José Luis Cervantes Martínez saying, “it appears this act was not spontaneous. The attacker planned and carried out his action alone,” and Los Angeles Times saying Mexican authorities called him a “copycat” influenced by school shootings.

In addition to the Columbine connection, multiple outlets described what investigators found in the gunman’s backpack, including “literature, images and handwritten notes” tied to “violent incidents known to have occurred in the United States in April 1999,” as described by PBS (AP) and echoed by NBC News.

NBC News said Cervantes Martínez described evidence as “literature, images and handwritten notes” and that the evidence collected so far “suggests a psychopathic profile of the aggressor.”

Mexican leaders and security officials framed the attack as a serious security matter while emphasizing investigation and support for victims.

“MEXICO CITY, April 21 (Bernama-dpa) -- A Canadian woman was killed and at least six other people were injured when a gunman opened fire at Mexico's Teotihuacan archaeological site, German Press Agency (dpa) reported, citing authorities on Monday”

Bernama

CNN reported that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum “has insisted her country is safe for tourists” and that authorities would “reinforce security to prevent another shooting of this kind,” 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.”

PBS (AP) said Sheinbaum told reporters that “Yesterday's attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols,” and she also noted the importance of analyzing “external influences” that may provoke such violence within the country.

In Mexico’s State of Mexico, attorney general José Luis Cervantes Martínez described the act as planned, telling 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 NBC News quoted Cervantes Martínez saying investigators found a backpack with “a firearm, a blade and 52 live rounds of ammunition.”

CBC said Sheinbaum addressed solidarity directly, telling reporters, “We want to show solidarity to the victim, who lost her life, and all the people who are in hospital and who went through the situation yesterday,” and it also reported that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters, “Our hearts go out to family and friends of the individual who was tragically killed,” calling it “a sad day.”

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Global Affairs was in “close contact” with Mexican officials and that she would leave “no stone unturned,” while the BBC reported that Carney “very much” appreciated Sheinbaum’s “personal attention to the matter.”

International reactions also included statements from the U.S., with Fox News quoting that U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson expressed “deep concern” and sadness over the deaths and numerous injuries, and said the U.S. was “ready to provide support as needed while Mexican authorities continue their investigation.”

The Mexican government also announced operational steps, with CBC reporting that “the Mexican president said the site would reopen on Wednesday with reinforced security,” and NBC News adding that “Teotihuacán's archeological site will reopen on Wednesday,” while “access to the Pyramid of the Moon will remain closed until further notice.”

Tourists described chaotic moments as gunfire echoed across Teotihuacán’s Pyramid of the Moon and people scrambled to escape down steep stone structures.

NBC News quoted Greg Magadini of Boise, Idaho, saying the first shot sounded like “a big crack,” and that he was about “40 feet” from the gunman when he jumped about “15 feet” off a ledge to find cover.

CBC

Magadini told NBC News that his friend’s ankle was injured while trying to find cover and that he went to the hospital with her, adding, “It was really scary,” and “minor scratches.”

CBC included a witness account from Lynne Forbes of Vancouver, who said that when she looked it up, it was “like a waterfall” of people trying to get down the pyramid and away from what was happening, and she described the moment someone yelled, “It's a shooter, run.”

BBC described a British couple from London who said there was “a big push and panic of everybody running at the same time to get out,” and they told the BBC that “There was no coordinated evacuation whatsoever - we could see that there were officials running around, but none of them were telling anyone to leave.”

The Los Angeles Times described survivors including a young couple from Chicago, Jalen Aybar and Jaslim Landaverde, saying they heard the gunfire while taking pictures and that Landaverde remembered thinking, “If you stand up, you’re going to stand out.”

Los Angeles Times also quoted Aybar whispering to Landaverde, “We have to jump. We can’t just lay here,” and said the couple leaped down multiple platforms, with Landaverde reporting “a broken a foot.”

NBC News also included testimony from 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,” and from Jacqueline Gutierrez, who recalled the gunman saying, “This was a place for sacrifices and it wasn't a place to take your stupid little pictures,” and “He seemed to be targeting tourists.”

NBC News further reported that Gutierrez captured a voice that appears to belong to the gunman saying, “If you move, I will sacrifice you,” and it described another video in which the gunman claimed, “You will not be returning.”

The shooting sharpened focus on security planning for Mexico’s World Cup preparations and on whether archaeological sites should have screening and checkpoints.

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CNN said Mexico’s security secretary Omar García Harfuch described a heightened presence of ground forces and digital “cyber patrols,” and it quoted him 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.”

CNN

CNN also quoted Sheinbaum acknowledging the attacker entered 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.”

PBS (AP) similarly reported that García Harfuch said major tourist destinations would see heightened presence of “both ground forces and digital ‘cyber patrols’ to prevent threats,” and it said the attack happened “less than two months before Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.”

Time reported that the pyramids are proposed as the site of an immersive nighttime show during the World Cup and that Mexico expects “around 5.5 million fansto visit the country for the tournament,” while BBC said the incident came “seven weeks to go before the first match of the Fifa World Cup is held in Mexico City.”

Multiple outlets also described immediate site changes after the attack, with NBC News saying the site would reopen on Wednesday but that “access to the Pyramid of the Moon will remain closed until further notice,” and Fox News citing the National Institute of Anthropology and History saying the Teotihuacán archaeological site “will remain closed until further notice.”

Beyond immediate measures, PBS (AP) and Los Angeles Times described the investigation into the gunman’s influences, with PBS saying investigators found “books and handwritten notes” referencing attacks in the United States in April 1999 and that the gunman carried a photo modified by artificial intelligence showing him alongside the Columbine attackers.

Los Angeles Times added that Mexican authorities described him as a “copycat” and said the prosecutor described the gunman’s profile as “psychopath” and “copycat” who sought to mimic mass shooters.

As the investigation continued, officials also emphasized international coordination and support, with CBC reporting that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he “very much” appreciates Sheinbaum’s “personal attention to the matter,” and with Fox News quoting Anita Anand saying on X that “a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”