César Gastélum, a content creator with a substantial social media following, was fatally shot while filming a livestream with two companions outside a fast food establishment in Tres Ríos, located in Culiacán in northern Mexico. Two individuals on a motorcycle approached the group and fired on Gastélum at close range during the incident on Tuesday evening. Gastélum maintained a TikTok account with over half a million followers, where he primarily shared comedy-oriented content.
The initial response by local law enforcement was complicated by the attire worn by the group—all three were dressed in bright orange coats and bags commonly associated with delivery service workers. This led authorities initially to treat the case as if a delivery driver had been targeted. Police subsequently identified the victim as a social media personality. The suspects fled the scene on their motorcycle, and no arrests have been made as of the report date. Investigators have begun examining cartridge casings and surveillance footage from the location.
This incident represents another instance of violence involving a social media figure in Mexico. The previous year saw the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Valeria Márquez at a beauty salon while she was livestreaming on TikTok. Authorities have not yet determined whether Gastélum had received prior threats. His Instagram presence included posts documenting travel, social outings, and images featuring luxury automobiles.
Gastélum’s death occurs amid escalating violence in Sinaloa state, of which Culiacán is the capital. The region has experienced increased instability following a deterioration in relations between two factions of the Sinaloa cartel—Los Chapitos and La Mayiza—in September 2024. A previous killing of influencer Leobardo Aispuro, known as “El Gordo Peruci,” in December 2024 was attributed by police to possible cartel faction rivalry.
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