CULIACÁN, Mexico – Mexican TikTok content creator César Gastélum has been shot dead while livestreaming outside a fast food restaurant in the Tres Ríos district of Culiacán, authorities have confirmed.
Okay News reports that Gastélum was recording with two friends on Tuesday evening when two men arrived on a motorcycle. One of the attackers reportedly opened fire at close range before both suspects fled the scene. The influencer had built an audience of more than 500,000 TikTok followers, where he was widely known for his comedy videos.
During the livestream, Gastélum and his companions were dressed in bright orange jackets and carried bags commonly used by delivery riders, initially leading investigators to believe the victim was a delivery worker. Police later confirmed his identity, while forensic officers recovered evidence from the scene and began reviewing nearby CCTV footage. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not disclosed a possible motive or whether Gastélum had received threats before the attack.
The killing is the latest in a string of attacks on social media personalities in Mexico. In 2025, influencer Valeria Márquez was also shot dead while livestreaming on TikTok. Gastélum had previously shared a photograph on Instagram at the grave of murdered influencer Leobardo Aispuro, popularly known as “El Gordo Peruci”, who was killed in 2024 in a case police linked to the conflict between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel.
Violence has continued to escalate across Sinaloa since clashes erupted between the Los Chapitos and La Mayiza factions in September 2024. The ongoing conflict has claimed numerous lives, with Culiacán remaining one of the areas most affected by the cartel rivalry.
