Gunman at Mexican pyramid carried materials related to Columbine massacre

A gunman who opened fire at Mexico’s iconic Teotihuacan pyramids was carrying materials apparently related to the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, authorities revealed Tuesday. The attack, which occurred on the 27th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, left a Canadian woman dead and at least 13 people injured.

Among the attacker’s belongings was an AI-modified photo showing him alongside the Columbine shooters, according to a state official who spoke anonymously because they weren’t authorized to address the media. Investigators said the gunman had a “psychopathic profile” characterized by “a tendency to copy situations that occurred in other places, at other times and involving other figures.”

Authorities identified the attacker as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a native of Guerrero, Mexico. He arrived at Teotihuacan a day before the attack via an Uber and stayed in a nearby hotel, officials said.

On Monday shortly before noon, Jasso Ramírez positioned himself atop the Pyramid of the Moon and began firing at tourists with an old revolver while holding a plastic bag containing 52 .38-caliber cartridges in his other hand, according to José Luis Cervantes Martínez, attorney general of the state of Mexico.

From his vantage point, the gunman fired at tourists and targeted approaching security forces. Witnesses described a chaotic scene with tourists throwing themselves to the ground to avoid detection while others frantically fled down the pyramid as gunshots echoed through the archaeological site.

National Guard members eventually scaled the pyramid and wounded the attacker in the leg. Witnesses reported that the gunman shot and killed himself once he felt cornered, Cervantes Martínez said.

Seven people suffered gunshot wounds, while others were injured in falls as they attempted to escape, including some who were climbing on the pyramids at the time. Among the injured were six people from the United States, three from Colombia, one from Russia, one from Brazil, one from the Netherlands, and one from Canada. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 61 years old.

Greg Magadini, a tourist from Boise, Idaho, was with a tour group atop the pyramid when the shooting began. He described hearing a loud crack followed by screaming, with the gunman about 40 feet away on the same platform with approximately 60 tourists.

“Everyone was a target,” Magadini said, recounting how he jumped down ledges to reach the ground while shots rang out every five seconds. He and others carried an injured friend who had badly hurt her ankle during their escape. Later at the hospital, Magadini heard from other tourists that the shooter had played strange music, taunted them, and expressed hatred toward tourists.

The attack comes at a sensitive time for Mexico’s tourism industry, occurring less than two months before the country co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico’s security secretary, Omar García Harfuch, announced that major tourist destinations would see increased security presence, including both ground forces and digital “cyber patrols” to prevent future threats.

“Yesterday’s attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols,” said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who also emphasized the importance of analyzing “external influences” that may provoke such violence within the country.

While such attacks are uncommon in Latin America, they are not unprecedented. Earlier this month, Argentine authorities linked a teenager to the “true crime community” after the teen killed one student and wounded eight others at a school in Santa Fe province. This online subculture emerged from forums established after the Columbine massacre to discuss and sometimes glorify such violence.

Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features a series of ancient structures on the outskirts of Mexico City and ranks among Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations. The site attracted more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to the family and friends of the Canadian tourist who was killed, saying Canadian authorities were working with their Mexican counterparts.

“It’s a terrible circumstance,” Carney said.