César Gastélum shot dead while livestreaming in Culiacán
Mexican TikTok influencer César Gastélum was fatally shot during a live broadcast in Culiacán, amid escalating cartel violence targeting social media creators.
On Tuesday, 4 August 2026, a 25-year-old Mexican social media influencer was shot and killed while livestreaming outside a fast-food restaurant in Culiacán, the capital of Mexico's northwestern Sinaloa state.
César Gastélum, who performed under the username @Compasexor
on the streaming platform Kick and had nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok for his comedy content, was broadcasting live outside a KFC at around 8 p.m. Local time, according to local authorities and media reports. He and two friends wore bright orange jackets and backpacks to imitate food-delivery workers as part of a challenge for his audience.
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Footage reviewed by multiple news organizations showed a motorcycle carrying two helmeted riders pull up beside the trio. The driver drew a handgun and fired a single round directly at Gastélum's head. The livestream cut out immediately, and Gastélum died at the scene. Although the original broadcast was removed from Kick, video fragments and images continued to circulate online.
Clips circulating on social media showed the same motorcycle passing the group multiple times before the attack. According to reports citing social media footage, Gastélum expressed unease about the individuals, remarking during the broadcast, Those kids scare me,
as reported by Al Bawaba and Yahoo. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether this potential surveillance forms part of their formal investigation.
A security official in Sinaloa confirmed Gastélum's death to Reuters and stated that a major security operation was underway. Local television footage depicted soldiers, police, and forensic specialists cordoning off a busy commercial plaza near the state prosecutor's office, while the Forensic Medical Service received the body, according to El Sol de Sinaloa.
Federal and state authorities have not identified the shooters, and no arrests have been announced. The Mexican Federal Security Cabinet stated that investigators are reviewing CCTV footage, cartridge casings, and other evidence, and are examining several of Gastélum's posts that referenced a faction of a criminal group.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the killing during a press briefing, stating:
“The actual perpetrators, and if applicable the mastermind, must be arrested, and the reason behind this tragic homicide must be uncovered.”
Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, via Reuters
The killing unfolds against an escalating backdrop of cartel violence in Culiacán. According to local media, at least 12 social media influencers have been murdered in the city since rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel began clashing in September 2024. Monitoring groups and local journalists estimate Gastélum to be at least the tenth content creator killed in recent years, reflecting an emerging pattern of targeting high-visibility personalities amidst territorial disputes between factions such as Los Mayos and Los Chapitos, who have utilized firearms, armored vehicles, and drones.
Earlier intimidation campaigns in the region also targeted online personalities. In January 2025, a low-altitude aircraft dropped pamphlets over Culiacán threatening approximately 20 artists and YouTubers.
Gastélum's death shares parallels with previous high-profile attacks on content creators in Mexico. In May 2025, beauty influencer Valeria Márquez, 23, was shot dead while livestreaming on TikTok at a salon in Zapopan, Jalisco. Mexican security officials linked that killing to a criminal cell of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) led by Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, who was arrested in July and identified by Security Minister Omar García Harfuch as the head of the group.
The wider security environment has been further compounded by regional turmoil following the abduction of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada by a son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, who transferred him to United States authorities.
Federal prosecutors and the Sinaloa Prosecutor's Office continue to analyze surveillance camera footage and forensic evidence to trace the perpetrators. No timeline for the conclusion of the investigation has been provided.
