Mexican Gunman Unleashes Deadly Shooting Spree at Historic Pyramid
A Mexican gunman who opened fire on a group of tourists atop a historic pyramid delivered a chilling rant to his hostages before unleashing a deadly shooting spree. The shooter, identified as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso, fired shots at tourists on Monday, killing one Canadian and leaving at least seven people injured at the archaeological site north of Mexico's capital.
Chilling Hostage Footage Emerges
Disturbing footage shared on social media appears to show the moment the shooter held a group of tourists hostage and gave them terrifying instructions. The video, filmed by one of Jasso's hostages, shows terrified holidaymakers crouching on the floor as they scream in fear. A child is shown huddling next to a woman as the gunman, Jasso, tells one of his hostages: 'Get up, you w***e...you have one f***ing minute. If you don't do it, I'll shoot you.'
He then tells the holidaymakers: 'Those of you who have come from Europe, you're not going back.' Referring to the ancient pyramids, where Aztecs historically made sacrificial offerings, the gunman added: 'If you move, I'll sacrifice you. This was built to sacrifice [people] you f*****s, not for you to come here and take a f***ing photo.'
As they lie on the floor, the hostages can be heard panting and crying, while one woman starts to pray. They are then all instructed to get up, and footage shows the group of tourists frantically running down the pyramid before the video cuts out.
Aftermath and Casualties
Seven people were wounded by gunshots. Another six sustained injuries from falls amid the panic and were taken to the hospital. The youngest person who was injured was 6; the oldest was 61, Mexican authorities said. Jasso later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities confirmed, and security officials found a gun, a knife, and ammunition at the scene.
He was the sole assailant in the attack, the State of Mexico government confirmed on Monday night. Separate video and photos published by local media showed a man, later identified as Jasso, standing with a gun on top of a pyramid while people ducked for cover. Some gunshots rang out in the videos.
Columbine Connection Revealed
It also emerged overnight that the gunman is believed to have been a fan of the two teenage boys behind the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, which saw school shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murder 13 students and a teacher before turning the guns on themselves. The attack in Mexico took place on the 27th anniversary of the infamous massacre at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado.
Local media reported that Jasso was found wearing a T-shirt with the logo 'Disconnect & Self-Destruct' on it—a reference to the Columbine shooters. Police discovered a picture near his body, which contained an AI-generated image where he appeared next to Harris and Klebold.
Site Significance and Impact
The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilisations. As one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.
The shooting took place shortly after 11:30am when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. This incident has raised serious concerns about security at major archaeological and tourist sites in Mexico, highlighting the need for enhanced safety measures to protect visitors from such violent acts.
