Teotihuacan Gunman With Columbine Materials Injures Six Americans And Kills Canadian Tourist
A 27-year-old Mexican man opened fire at the Teotihuacan pyramids, killing one Canadian tourist and injuring 13 others. Authorities identified him as Julio César Jasso Ramírez and said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. Officials say the wounded include six U.S. citizens and people from Colombia, Russia, Brazil, the Netherlands and Canada, with ages ranging from 6 to 61.
Witnesses said Jasso fired from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon as tourists fled and some were hurt by falls while trying to escape. Investigators recovered a gun, a knife, 52 rounds of .38-caliber ammunition and bags of Columbine-related books, notes and images from his backpack. Officials say he had an AI-altered photo placing him with the Columbine shooters and appeared to have timed the attack to the Columbine anniversary and Hitler's birthday. Video released by authorities shows him ranting about the pyramids' sacrificial past, threatening hostages and invoking ethnic slurs, which may point to copycat motives and xenophobic animus.
Initial reports emphasized the attack's facts and that Jasso acted alone, without detailing motive or ideological links. Later coverage by outlets such as Fox News and PBS added new information about Columbine materials, AI imagery, and alleged timing tied to the Columbine anniversary, shifting the frame toward emulation and extremism. That evolution matters for how investigators and the public understand motive and for debates over site security ahead of large events such as the 2026 World Cup. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said authorities will investigate and called for tighter security, while Canadian and U.S. officials offered consular support and expressed concern on social media; the National Institute of Anthropology and History closed Teotihuacan until further notice.
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Mass Shootings and Public Safety
This story is compiled from 7 sources using AI-assisted curation and analysis. Original reporting is attributed below. Learn about our methodology.
📌 Key Facts
- The attacker was identified as 27-year-old Mexican national Julio César Jasso Ramírez (Julio Cesar Jasso) from Guerrero; he was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after the incident.
- The shooting took place at the Teotihuacán archaeological site — the gunman fired from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon, took hostages and threatened visitors, and some victims were also injured by falls as people tried to descend.
- One Canadian tourist was killed and at least 13 others were injured; among the wounded were six U.S. citizens, and victims’ ages were reported as roughly between 6 and 61. Wounded visitors were also reported from Colombia, Russia, Brazil, the Netherlands and Canada.
- Authorities recovered a handgun, a knife and ammunition at the scene, including 52 live .38-caliber rounds carried in a plastic bag; officials say the attacker had conducted reconnaissance visits beforehand and arrived in the area by Uber the day before.
- Investigators recovered materials linked to the 1999 Columbine massacre — books, images, handwritten notes and other manuscripts — and reported an AI-modified photo depicting the attacker alongside the Columbine shooters; officials say evidence indicates he emulated past attacks and may have timed the assault with anniversaries such as Columbine’s.
- Video and witness accounts quote the attacker invoking the pyramid’s sacrificial history and telling hostages, “Don’t move, or I’ll sacrifice you,” and reports say he also made xenophobic/ethnic statements during the incident.
- Timeline and response: first reports arrived around 11:20 a.m. local time and the gunman was found dead by about 11:45 a.m.; Mexican authorities closed the Teotihuacán site until further notice and launched an investigation.
- Mexican leaders and security officials — including President Claudia Sheinbaum and the security secretary — said the attack will be thoroughly investigated, have contacted foreign governments (including Canada), called for stronger security protocols, and announced heightened ground security and digital monitoring at major tourist sites ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Local guides and officials noted that routine security screenings at the site had been performed in past years but are no longer consistently carried out, a point officials cited as part of the broader security review.
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 21, 2026
10:46 PM
Gunman at Mexican pyramids carried materials related to 1999 Columbine massacre
New information:
- Authorities say the gunman carried books and handwritten notes referencing April 1999 U.S. attacks, apparently tied to the Columbine High School shooting anniversary.
- A state official told the Associated Press the attacker had an AI-modified photo depicting himself alongside the Columbine shooters.
- Mexican officials formally identified the shooter as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez from Guerrero.
- Investigators say Jasso arrived by Uber a day earlier, stayed in a hotel, and started firing from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon while holding a plastic bag with 52 .38-caliber rounds.
- Mexico's security secretary Omar García Harfuch announced heightened ground security and digital 'cyber patrols' at major tourist destinations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- President Claudia Sheinbaum said the attack shows an urgent need to strengthen security protocols and to analyze 'external influences' that may provoke such violence.
- Updated injury breakdown notes six U.S. citizens, three Colombians, one Russian, one Brazilian, one Dutch and one Canadian among the wounded, ages 6 to 61.
8:51 PM
Americans among injured at shooting caught on video at tourist hot spot in Mexico
New information:
- Officials specify that six of the injured are from the U.S., with others from Russia, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Canada.
- Mexican authorities detail that the gunman conducted prior reconnaissance visits to the pyramids before the attack.
- Investigators say they recovered Columbine High School shooting related literature, images, and handwritten manuscripts from the gunman's backpack.
- Officials state the gunman carried 52 live rounds of .38 special ammunition in a plastic bag and a knife.
- Timeline is nailed down: first reports at 11:20 a.m., gunman dead by apparent suicide at 11:45 a.m.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly calls for strengthening security protocols and expresses solidarity in a social media statement.
- State attorney general José Luis Cervantes Martínez says investigators built a 'psychopathic profile' of the shooter, describing a tendency to copy past violent events.
7:34 PM
Mexico temple gunman ranted about pyramid's gruesome history to hostages: ‘Don’t move, or I’ll sacrifice you’
New information:
- Reports based on hostage video quote Julio Cesar Jasso saying, 'Don't move, or I'll sacrifice you' and invoking the pyramid's sacrificial history.
- Article reports Jasso was reportedly obsessed with Adolf Hitler and allegedly timed the attack with both Hitler's birthday and the Columbine anniversary.
- He claimed in the video that 'two Koreans' were dead and railed against Europeans, adding possible ethnic or anti-foreigner animus to his motives.
- Confirms updated injury total of 13, while reiterating prior figures of six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians, one Canadian among the wounded, ages 6 to 61.
1:13 PM
Deadly shooting at Mexico's Teotihuacán pyramids
New information:
- CBS reiterates that one Canadian tourist was killed and 13 others were injured in the Teotihuacán shooting.
- The piece is a short TV hit that confirms officials' casualty counts but does not add identity or motive details beyond what is already in the existing story.
11:10 AM
Mexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified
New information:
- Authorities identified the gunman as 27-year-old Mexican national Julio Cesar Jasso.
- Officials state Jasso acted alone and died by suicide after turning the gun on himself.
- Security officials recovered a gun, a knife, and ammunition from the shooter.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the shooting will be investigated and that she is in touch with the Canadian Embassy.
- Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand confirmed one Canadian killed and another wounded and issued a statement on X.
- U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson expressed concern and said the U.S. is ready to support Mexican authorities.
- Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History announced that the Teotihuacan archaeological site will remain closed until further notice.
- Article notes that routine entry screenings at the site are no longer consistently in place, according to a local guide.
5:18 AM
Gunman shoots several tourists at historic pyramids in Mexico
New information:
- Shooter identified as 27-year-old Mexican national Julio Cesar Jasso, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- Authorities say Jasso was the sole assailant and was found with a gun, a knife, and ammunition.
- Updated casualty detail: one Canadian killed and at least 13 injured, including six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians, and one Canadian.
- Age range of injured given as between 6 and 61 years old.
- Witness accounts describe the shooter standing atop the Pyramid of the Moon firing as tourists tried to descend, with some victims injured by falls.
- Local guides say security scans at the site had been carried out in past years but are no longer routine.
April 20, 2026