A deadly shooting at one of Mexico’s most famous tourist landmarks has left one Canadian woman dead and multiple visitors wounded, Mexican authorities have confirmed. The violent incident unfolded on Monday at the sprawling Teotihuacan archaeological zone, a pre-Hispanic ruin complex located roughly an hour’s drive north of Mexico City that draws millions of domestic and international visitors annually.
Following the attack, the gunman died by suicide at the scene, according to official government statements. Responding law enforcement personnel secured the zone quickly after the violence broke out, and remained deployed across the site on Monday to process evidence. Investigators have recovered a firearm, a bladed weapon and unused live ammunition from the area where the shooting took place.
Among the injured people receiving treatment for their wounds are two Colombian citizens, one Russian national and one additional Canadian, State Security Secretary Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo confirmed to reporters during a Monday press briefing.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office earlier this year, confirmed she is monitoring the developing situation closely and has maintained direct communication with the Canadian embassy in Mexico City to coordinate updates. In a public statement posted to social media, Sheinbaum said she had directed her full national security cabinet to launch a thorough investigation into the attack, and ordered officials to extend all possible support to those affected by the violence.
“What happened today in Teotihuacan deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” Sheinbaum wrote in her Spanish-language statement.
The Teotihuacan archaeological park is one of Mexico’s crown jewels of cultural heritage, home to the iconic Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, remnants of a powerful pre-Columbian civilization that flourished centuries before the rise of the Aztec Empire. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and consistently ranks among the most visited tourist attractions in the country.
The BBC has reached out to officials at the Canadian government for additional comment and further details about the slain victim as the investigation continues. Authorities have not yet released a confirmed motive for the attack, and updates on the case are expected as more information becomes available.