Gunman kills tourist, wounds 13 others on Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramid

MEXICO CITY — A gunman opened fire Monday from a pyramid in the famed Mexican archaeological site of Teotihuacán, fatally wounding a female Canadian tourist, leaving at least 13 other people injured and sparking scenes of chaos as tourists scrambled to escape the gunfire.

The shooter later took his own life, officials said.

The injured included six U.S. citizens, one of them a 61-year-old woman, as well as a 6-year-old boy from Colombia and two other Colombian nationals. Two Brazilians, one Russian and one Canadian were also injured.

At least six of the injured suffered gunshot wounds, authorities said, while others apparently were hurt in falls while trying to escape. There was no immediate breakdown on the conditions of the injured, all of whom were being treated in area hospitals, authorities said.

Cellphone images circulating on Mexican media showed a man in a checked shirt appearing to brandish a pistol from his position near the top the Pyramid of the Moon as visitors took cover at the foot of the storied structure, while others sought safety on the upper tiers of the 140-foot-tall pyramid.

Some tourists attempting to escape tried to hurry down the steep steps or jumped to lower levels of the pyramid, according to the images circulating on the internet and social media.

“Call the police!” came the cry from a woman in one scene circulating on social media.

A gun, bullets and a knife were recovered at the site, said police in Mexico State, where the pyramid complex is situated. Mexican media reported that the shooter was wearing tactical boots and pants.

The incident took place just before midday.

There was no immediate word on the identities of the perpetrator or the Canadian citizen who died. Nor was there any immediate indication of a motive.

Mexican authorities said they were treating the wounded at area medical centers and investigating what was behind the shooting.

The incident comes as Mexico prepares to be a host country for this summer’s World Cup soccer extravaganza.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly said that Mexico has a security plan in place for the soccer matches, despite continued outbreaks of violence in the country.

On Monday, Sheinbaum lamented the shooting at the pyramid.

“What happened today in Teotihuacán pains us deeply,” Sheinbaum wrote in a post on X. “I express my deepest sympathy to those affected and their families.”

After the shooting, authorities described the sprawling archaeological zone — among Mexico’s most visited tourist sites — as calm and under control. The site, situated northeast of Mexico City, is among the premier Mesoamerican archaeological zones and was visited by 1.8 million people last year.