A shooting at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday left one person dead, and among at least 13 wounded, six were Americans, per CNN.
As of late Monday, eight people remained hospitalized, according to wire reports. Four individuals had gunshot wounds, while two others sustained injuries from falling.
By early Tuesday, five of the victims had been released from the hospital, officials said.
The youngest person injured was 6; the oldest, 61, according to Mexican authorities.
Who was the shooter and what happened?
Around 11:20 a.m. local time, authorities were notified of a shooting involving a man they identified as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez.
Videos appear to show the man pacing, gun in hand, atop a pyramid while people ducked for cover. He was on the same platform as about 60 tourists, according to The Associated Press.
“Don’t move, or I’ll sacrifice you,” he told civilians lying on the ground, according to the New York Post. While some remained, others opted to flee; at least two people were injured on their way down the pyramid.
Ramirez expressed hatred for tourists and played strange music, according to one visitor from Boise, Idaho.
When the National Guard confronted him, he “fired a weapon at the National Guard members, who returned fire,” according to Cristobal Castaneda Camarillo, security secretary for the State of Mexico.
“There were thousands of people there and there were a lot of gunshots that just kept coming,” one tourist at the scene said.
Ramirez was wounded in the leg and by 11:45 a.m., he had taken his own life. Authorities say he worked alone and officials found a firearm, a knife and 52 rounds of ammunition in his backpack.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has no record of the .38-caliber firearm used by Ramirez dating back to 1968.
What did the shooter bring with him?
Authorities say Ramirez had carefully scouted the scene before opening fire, per The Associated Press.
He carried a tactical-style backpack containing a phone, bus tickets, and an AI-modified image of himself alongside the Columbine High School shooters from 1999.
Monday marked the 27th anniversary of that incident.
According to José Luis Cervantes Martínez, Mexico’s attorney general, the shooter’s psychopathic profile is one “characterized by a tendency to copy situations that occurred in other places, at other times, and involving other figures.”
Monday, April 20, was also Adolf Hitler’s birthday.
Cervantes Martínez said authorities also found literature, images and manuscripts related to violent incidents that have occurred in the United States.
What officials are saying
“What happened today in Teotihuacan deeply hurts us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the people affected and their families,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum noted federal, state and local agencies have all been involved.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed gratitude to Sheinbaum for her attention to the tragedy.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand echoed these sentiments on X, stating: “As a result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacan, Mexico. My thoughts are with their family and loved ones, and Global Affairs consular officials are in touch to provide assistance.”
Three Colombians, one Russian and two Brazilians were also injured. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry is coordinating with the respective embassies to support the injured foreign nationals.
“We stand ready to support as needed as Mexican authorities continue their investigation. Our prayers are with those affected and their families,” Ronald Johnson, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, wrote on X.
World Cup implications
In June and July, Mexico will welcome over 5.5 million visitors for the FIFA World Cup.
The country will host a total of 13 games in three different cities. Safety and security are top priorities.
As one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations, the Teotihuacan pyramids were proposed by Mexican officials as a venue for an immersive nighttime show for fans.
Due to the shooting, the area will remain closed until further notice. It could reopen before the World Cup begins.
BBC reported Sheinbaum plans to secure the tournament with 100,000 personnel, including 20,000 troops and 55,000 police and private security staff. Logistics include 2,500 vehicles, 24 aircraft, 33 drones, and explosive-detection dogs.