Mexico Influencer Cesar Gastelum Shot Dead During Livestream In Cartel-Hit Sinaloa; Video Surfaces

Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot dead while livestreaming with friends outside a fast-food restaurant in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The killing is believed to be linked to ongoing cartel violence.

The incident took place on Tuesday night in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa. A video of the attack, which has since gone viral on social media, shows Gastelum chatting and laughing with two friends in the parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet when two men arrived on a motorcycle.

One of the attackers got off the bike, opened fire on the influencer and fled the scene with his accomplice. The shooting occurred just a few blocks from the local prosecutor's office during peak traffic hours.

Mexico's Security Cabinet and local prosecutors have launched an investigation into the killing. While officials believe the murder was likely connected to cartel violence, they have not blamed any specific criminal group. Authorities also said Gastelum had reportedly shared videos that referenced a faction of a criminal organisation.

Who was Cesar Gastelum?

Gastelum had built a strong online following, with more than 650,000 followers on TikTok and thousands more across Instagram and other social media platforms. He was known for posting comedy videos set to regional Mexican music. In some of his posts, he referred to himself as "blico," a term commonly associated with Mexico's cartel subculture.

Second influencer killed during livestream in just over a year

Gastelum's death marks the second fatal shooting of a Mexican content creator during a livestream in just over a year.

In May 2025, 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Márquez was shot dead while broadcasting live on TikTok from the beauty salon where she worked in Zapopan, Jalisco. Prosecutors investigated the case as a suspected femicide after a gunman entered the salon and opened fire.

In July, authorities arrested Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, also known as "El R-1," in Jalisco. Security Minister Omar García Harfuch identified him as the leader of a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Investigators have accused him of ordering and financing Márquez's murder.

According to Mexican security analyst David Saucedo, influencers may be threatened or killed for several reasons, including alleged ties to rival criminal organisations, producing content for cartels, maintaining personal relationships with cartel members, laundering money or spreading information on behalf of criminal groups.