By Ana Isabel Martinez, Lizbeth Diaz and Natalia Siniawski
MEXICO CITY, April 20 (Reuters) – A gunman shot dead a Canadian woman as he opened fire at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday before killing himself, authorities said, in a rare attack at a major tourist attraction.
Security authorities said 13 people were injured in the incident. It was not immediately clear how many were shot. One witness, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that a young boy was shot in the leg.
Local prosecutors said in a post on X that the gunman was Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, a Mexican national. They did not provide further details.
The shooting began at just after 11 a.m. at the Pyramid of the Moon, one of the most prominent structures at the site outside Mexico City, according to the witness, who had just descended from the temple’s mezzanine when they heard “pops” and saw a stampede of visitors.
The gunman remained at the top of the mezzanine, the witness said, adding that he appeared to fire most shots into the air, rather than directly at people, while carrying a digital tablet and shouting.
Bystanders, including some with medical training, provided first aid to the injured, using water bottles and clean cloths to slow bleeding until paramedics arrived, the witness added.
Security authorities said some of the injured had been taken to hospitals, including three Colombians, one of whom was a 6-year-old child, as well as U.S., Russian and Brazilian nationals.
A second Canadian was also wounded in the attack, according to a post on X from Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on social media: “What happened today in Teotihuacan pains us deeply. I express my deepest sympathy to those affected and their families.”
The shooting is set to increase scrutiny of Mexico’s security at major tourist and cultural sites as it prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Canada. The event is expected to draw millions of visitors from abroad.
The pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan was one of the most important cultural centers in Mesoamerica and it is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist sites, receiving 1.8 million visitors last year.
While Mexico has many shooting incidents due to cartel activity, violence at tourist attractions is rare.
(Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez, Lizbeth Diaz and Natalia Siniawski, Additional reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Edwina Gibbs)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.