5.8.2026
A popular Mexican content creator César Gastélum was shot to death while livestreaming on TikTok in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa state, Mexican authorities said.
Investigators are examining whether the influencer’s social media posts referring to a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel were connected to the killing.
Gastélum, 24, was attacked Tuesday night while standing with two companions outside a KFC restaurant in the Desarrollo Urbano Tres Ríos neighborhood.
Videos from the livestream, later shared on social media, show two men riding a motorcycle approaching the group before one of them opens fire at close range and flees. His companions are unharmed.
In the video, one of Gastélum’s companions can be heard saying, “Let’s go, guys,” while another replies, “No, the motorcycle, the motorcycle.” The exchange ends with a warning: “No, listen, I got a really bad feeling. … Those guys scare me.”
Shortly afterward, the two men on the motorcycle return, and one of them shoots Gastélum.
During her Wednesday morning news conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed authorities are working to locate those responsible for the killing.
Mexico’s Security Cabinet later said in a statement posted on X that it is working with the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office to solve the crime.
“Among the lines of investigation are various social media posts, some of which referred to a faction of a criminal group. Authorities are also analyzing surveillance camera footage and other evidence to identify and arrest those responsible,” the agency said.
Authorities are also analyzing ballistic evidence and security camera recordings.
Gastélum had more than 577,000 followers on TikTok, where he posted comedy sketches and content inspired by Sinaloa culture. He also maintained active accounts on Instagram, YouTube and streaming platform Kick, where he shared videos about travel, automobiles and entertainment.
Mexican content creator César Gastélum being shot by suspect drug cartel members.