Teotihuacán shooting leaves two dead and three wounded
The Security Cabinet stated a man opened fire from the Pyramid of the Moon and then took his own life. A Canadian tourist was killed in the attack
A shooting at the Teotihuacan Pyramids, one of Mexico’s most important archaeological sites, left two people dead and at least six wounded on Monday. A man killed a Canadian tourist before taking his own life, opening fire with a handgun from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon on hundreds of tourists strolling across the esplanade of the historic monument, built between 100 and 650 AD. The attack sparked scenes of chaos and panic at one of the country’s most visited sites. The attacker also injured at least four other people of different nationalities, who were taken to a local hospital. Two others suffered fractures and sprains after falling down the pyramid’s stairs, and one person was treated for an anxiety attack.
The attack began shortly after noon at the northern end of the archaeological complex, which receives around 1.6 million visitors a year and is the second most visited site after Chichén Itzá in Yucatán. The shooter, dressed in a plaid shirt, was wandering around the Pyramid of the Moon—the second-largest structure in the complex, standing 43 meters tall—when he began firing. According to the Security Cabinet, he then took his own life. In front of the structure lies the Plaza de la Luna, an open space where several tourists were walking as part of the site’s historical tour.
Authorities reported in a preliminary statement that an operation was underway in the area. “Unfortunately, a Canadian woman lost her life, and three other people were injured and are receiving medical attention,” the statement said. Minutes later, the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reported that seven people had been treated at the Axapusco General Hospital, including a minor. “Of the total number of people treated, four have gunshot wounds, one person has a fracture, another is being treated for a sprain, and one for an anxiety attack,” the institute said in a statement.
Police secured a firearm, a bladed weapon, and several cartridges at the archaeological site. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum instructed security forces to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, staff from the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Culture went to the scene to provide support and assistance to the victims. Sheinbaum expressed her sorrow over the incident and confirmed that she is in contact with the Canadian Embassy after the victim’s nationality was confirmed. “What happened today in Teotihuacan deeply saddens us. I express my sincere solidarity with those affected and their families,” the president wrote on her social media accounts. The governor of the State of Mexico, Delfina Gómez, also offered condolences and confirmed that the State Security Secretariat will maintain a presence at the site.
Local security forces stated in a press release that they found the deceased upon arriving at the scene, including the alleged assailant. Authorities received a call reporting the incident, along with alerts from inter-institutional coordination groups. In addition to the fatalities, six people were injured: four from gunshot wounds and two from falls down the 47 steps of the Pyramid of the Moon. The Secretary of Public Security for the State of Mexico, Cristóbal Castañeda, explained at a press conference held at the site that the injured included two Colombians, one Russian, and one Canadian.
Videos circulating on social media show the initial confusion following the gunshots and the panic that gripped visitors. The footage shows people running across the plaza and several women hiding behind the stone structures. “Call the police!” one of them can be heard shouting. At the top of the pyramid’s imposing staircase, a man in a plaid shirt can be seen walking along the upper platform, while a group of people huddles together in one corner for protection.
Less than a year ago, the Mexican Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), reopened access to the top of the Pyramid of the Moon after conservation work was completed. Climbing to the top had been prohibited since 2020, and it remains restricted at the other two major structures in the complex: the Pyramid of the Sun and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. However, access was reinstated last May, although only to the first level of the pyramid, to avoid damaging the monument’s structure.
This is not the first time this landmark of historical tourism and national pride has been the scene of violent incidents. In 2024, a tourist was beaten and jeered at by other visitors after defying the ban on climbing the Pyramid of the Moon. A year earlier, one of the hot air balloons offering aerial tours over the archaeological zone caught fire and crashed, killing two people—a 50-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman—and injuring a minor with first- and second-degree burns.
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