In brief
César Gastélum, a well‑known street‑style TikTok influencer, was fatally shot while livestreaming outside a fast‑food shop in Tres Ríos, Culiacán. Two motorbike riders fired close‑range shots, leaving the victim dead. The murder came amid escalating Sinaloa cartel fights and follows the death of fellow influencer Valeria Márquez on TikTok. Police are still hunting the attackers, and the incident highlights the peril that online creators face in volatile regions. No suspects have been detained yet.
César Gastélum, a popular street‑style TikTok creator with 500,000+ followers, was shot dead when he and friends were livestreaming outside a fast‑food eatery in Tres Ríos, Culiacán, on Tuesday evening.
A rider on a motorbike approached the group and fired several close‑range shots. Police recovered cartridge casings and are reviewing CCTV footage, but no arrests have been made yet.
The incident follows the 2024 murder of fellow influencer Valeria Márquez, who was shot while livestreaming on TikTok. Authorities suspect cartel rivalry amid escalating violence between the Los Chapitos and La Mayiza factions in Sinaloa.
Authorities clarified that Gastélum was livestreaming on an unspecified platform, not TikTok, and that the victims were initially mistaken for delivery workers due to their orange coats.
The case remains open, with police continuing to search for the two attackers who fled the scene. Meanwhile, social media communities mourn the loss of a young influencer turned victim of street violence.
