A shooting at Teotihuacan, an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mexico, left two people dead, including the suspect and a foreign tourist, and six others injured. The incident has renewed security concerns in Mexico ahead of its co-hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the Associated Press and the BBC, a man opened fire at the Teotihuacan ruins, about an hour's drive north of Mexico City, around 11:30 a.m. local time on Saturday before taking his own life. A Canadian tourist was killed and six others were wounded in the attack. Of the six injured, four — two Colombians, one Russian and one Canadian — sustained gunshot wounds, while the other two were hurt after falling during the evacuation.
According to an eyewitness account from a tour guide at the scene, dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon when the suspect began firing from the steps below. "People were terrified, lying on the ground or starting to descend the stairs, and the gunman shot at the tourists who were coming down," the guide said. Videos posted on social media showed the suspect standing on the pyramid's steps holding a firearm, while tourists tried to take cover or flee. Police recovered a firearm, a bladed weapon and live ammunition at the scene.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences to the victims and said the government was in contact with the Canadian Embassy. "We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred today in Teotihuacan. Our deepest condolences go to all those affected and their families," she wrote on X.
Teotihuacan was a major city in central Mexico during the pre-Aztec era, predating the Aztec civilization. At its peak around A.D. 500, its population reached as many as 200,000. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of Mexico's largest tourist attractions, drawing more than 1.8 million visitors last year. Shortly after the incident, additional security forces from the Mexico state police and the National Guard were deployed to the site, and federal investigators are looking into the full circumstances of the attack.
The shooting comes as Mexico prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, heightening concerns about public safety. According to the BBC, the Mexico state government announced earlier this month that Teotihuacan would be used as a venue for nighttime tourist events during the World Cup this summer. Mexican authorities expect about 5.5 million foreign tourists to visit for the tournament and plan to deploy roughly 100,000 security personnel to protect fans during the event, amid continuing drug cartel violence in the country.
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