Gunman shoots several tourists at Teotihuacán pyramids in Mexico
MEXICO CITY (AP) — An armed man standing atop one of many historic Teotihuacan pyramids Fire opened on tourists Monday, killing one Canadian and leaving at least 13 individuals injured at the archaeological web site north of Mexico’s capital, authorities stated.
The shooter was recognized as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso of Mexico, a state official advised the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of he’s not approved to talk about the case. Jasso later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities stated, and safety officers discovered a gun, a knife and ammunition. Jasso was the only real assailant in the assault, the State of Mexico authorities confirmed on Monday evening.
The native authorities stated seven individuals had been wounded by gunshots. How the opposite individuals had been injured was not disclosed, however various individuals fell when capturing began, some whereas climbing on the pyramids.
Those taken to hospitals for remedy had been six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians and one Canadian, the native authorities stated. The youngest one that was injured was 6; the oldest was 61, Mexican authorities stated.
Video and photographs printed by native media confirmed a person, later recognized as Jasso, standing with a gun on high of a pyramid whereas individuals ducked for canopy. Quite a lot of gunshots vary out in the movies.
AP AUDIO: Gunman shoots several tourists at historic pyramids in Mexico, killing a Canadian
A gunman at a historic pyramid web site north of Mexico City kills a vacationer and insults several others. AP correspondent Jennifer King stories.
The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a sequence of huge buildings on the outskirts of Mexico City constructed by three totally different historic civilizations. As one in every of Mexico’s most vital touristic locations, the positioning drew greater than 1.8 million worldwide guests final yr, in response to authorities figures.
The capturing befell shortly after 11:30 am when dozens of tourists had been at the highest of the Pyramid of the Moon. The standing on the construction’s platform started firing upward, in response to a tour information who was at the scene and spoke to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity for security causes.
“Some people, because they were scared… threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the information stated, recounting how the shooter, upon seeing the tourists descending the pyramid’s steps, started firing.
Another group of holiday makers lay immobile on the pyramid’s platform to keep away from being focused by the shooter, who authorities haven’t but recognized.
Brenda Lee, of Vancouver, British Columbia, stated she was ready to purchase a memento when she and others in her group thought they heard firecrackers.
“Before we knew it, someone said, ‘No, that’s gunfire, run,’ and we saw people coming off the top,” she advised CTV News, one in every of Canada’s nationwide tv broadcasters.
“There were thousands of people there and there were a lot of gunshots that just kept coming,” Lee stated.
The scene rapidly turned chaotic as individuals tried to flee, Lee stated.
“And then a fellow jumped,” she stated. “It was someone trying to get away, and he dropped to the next level, but he fell on his back, and it was… it was just awful.”
In previous years, workers at the archaeological web site carried out safety scans earlier than individuals entered the world however have since stopped, one native information famous.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum she wrote on social media that the capturing could be investigated and that she was in contact with the Canadian Embassy.
“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.
Anita Anand, Canada’s overseas affairs minister, stated on
Later in the night US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson additionally expressed “deep concern” and unhappiness over the deaths and quite a few accidents, and stated on a submit on X that the US is “ready to provide support as needed while Mexican authorities continue their investigation.”
The National Institute of Anthropology and History stated in an announcement that the Teotihuacán archaeological web site will stay closed till additional discover.
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AP journalist Jim Morris contributed to this story from Vancouver, British Columbia.
