Gunman kills one, wounds 13 at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids

A gunman shot one dead as he opened fire at Mexico's Teotihuacan pyramids on Monday before taking his own life, authorities said, in a rare attack at a major tourist attraction.

Security authorities said 13 people were injured in the incident, with the shooter killing a Canadian woman. Local prosecutors said in a post on X that the gunman was Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, a Mexican national. They did not provide further details.

The shooting began just after 11 am at the Pyramid of the Moon, one of the most prominent structures at the site outside Mexico City, according to the witness, who had just descended from the temple's mezzanine when they heard "pops" and saw a stampede of visitors.

The gunman remained at the top of the mezzanine, the witness said, adding that he appeared to fire most shots into the air, rather than directly at people, while carrying a digital tablet and shouting.

Bystanders, including some with medical training, provided first aid to the injured, using water bottles and clean cloths to slow bleeding until paramedics arrived, the witness added.

Security authorities said some of the injured had been taken to hospitals, including three Colombians, one of whom was a 6-year-old child, as well as US, Russian, and Brazilian nationals.

A second Canadian was also wounded in the attack, according to a post on X from Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on social media: "What happened today in Teotihuacan pains us deeply. I express my deepest sympathy to those affected and their families."

The pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan was one of the most important cultural centers in Mesoamerica, and it is one of Mexico's most popular tourist sites, receiving 1.8 million visitors last year.

While Mexico has many shooting incidents due to cartel activity, violence at tourist attractions is rare.