CULIACÁN, MX. (THECOUNT) — César Gastélum, a Mexican social media influencer with more than 600,000 TikTok followers, was shot dead Tuesday while broadcasting live in front of a fast-food restaurant in Culiacán, according to federal and state authorities.
Gastélum went by @cesargastelum04 on TikTok. He was also known to fans as “Cesarín” and streamed on Kick under the username “compasexor.”
|
Advertisement |
Culiacán is the capital city of Sinaloa state in northwestern Mexico, located in the fertile Culiacán River valley approximately 40 miles inland from the Gulf of California.
Gastélum was gunned down after being approached by two helmeted assailants on a motorcycle, according to footage reviewed by Reuters. A security official from the state of Sinaloa confirmed the influencer’s death to Reuters and stated that a major security operation was underway to locate the perpetrators.
On Wednesday, Mexico’s Federal Security Cabinet announced that authorities are investigating whether the attack may have been linked to “various posts” on social media, “in some of which (Gastélum) made reference to a faction of a criminal group.”
Federal authorities, working alongside the Sinaloa Prosecutor’s Office, are analyzing “surveillance cameras and other evidence to identify and apprehend those responsible,” the Security Cabinet stated.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the killing during her morning press conference on Wednesday, emphasizing that authorities are pursuing the investigation aggressively. “The actual perpetrators — and, if applicable, the mastermind — must be arrested, and the reason behind this tragic homicide must be uncovered,” Sheinbaum said.
Culiacán and other cities in Sinaloa have experienced significant organized crime violence in recent months. According to a report by the non-governmental organization International Crisis Group, two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel — Los Mayos and Los Chapitos — have been engaged in violent clashes since September 2024 to gain control of Sinaloa’s principal cities, including Culiacán and Mazatlán.
The Crisis Group report indicates that both factions employ firearms, armored vehicles and drones in their conflict, resulting in elevated violence levels and disruptions to daily life across several regions of the state. Each side has carried out violent acts aimed at intimidating its rival.
The cartel factions derive their names from the founders of the criminal organization: Ismael “Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín “Chapo” Guzmán, who became rivals for control of the cartel and are currently serving life sentences in United States federal prison on drug trafficking convictions. Los Mayos support Mayo Zambada, while Los Chapitos are aligned with Chapo Guzmán and led by the drug lord’s sons.
Gastélum’s death draws parallels to the May 2025 killing of Mexican TikTok beauty influencer Valeria Márquez, who was shot dead during a TikTok livestream at a salon in Zapopan, Jalisco.
The Sinaloa Prosecutor’s Office has not released additional details regarding potential suspects or whether Gastélum had received prior threats related to his social media content. The investigation remains active as authorities review digital evidence and surveillance footage from the area surrounding the fast-food restaurant.
DEVELOPING::