Mexican influencer Cesar Gastelum shot to death during livestream

Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot and killed while livestreaming with friends outside a fast food restaurant in the city of Culiacan.

MEXICO CITY, Aug 4 - Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot and killed on Tuesday while livestreaming with friends outside a fast food restaurant in the northwestern city of Culiacan, local authorities said.

Gastelum, who had nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok and was known for comedy videos, was streaming live outside a fast food restaurant when two people on a motorcycle, both wearing helmets, approached him and his friends.

In a recording of the livestream, seen by Reuters, the driver of the motorcycle appeared to fire a gun directly at Gastelum.

A security official in Sinaloa state confirmed Gastelum‘s death and said a significant security operation was underway.

The killing comes amid persistent violence in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa, which has been at the center of a conflict between rival organized crime factions competing for control.