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Images and footage shared by regional news outlets capture a harrowing scene of a man wielding a firearm atop a pyramid, as onlookers scramble for safety.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — In a shocking incident at the renowned Teotihuacán pyramids, an armed individual fired upon visitors on Monday, resulting in the death of a Canadian tourist and injuring at least 13 others at the archaeological site situated north of Mexico City, according to officials.
Authorities later reported that the gunman died from a self-inflicted wound. Security personnel recovered a gun, a knife, and several rounds of ammunition at the scene.
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According to local authorities, seven individuals sustained gunshot wounds. Details on how the remaining victims were injured remain unclear, but those hospitalized include six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians, and another Canadian, as per local government reports.
Footage circulated by local media depicts a man brandishing a gun from the pyramid’s summit, prompting people to seek cover amidst the sound of gunfire.
The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. A man standing on the structure’s platform began firing upward, according to a tour guide who was at the scene and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
“Some people, because they were scared … threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the guide said, recounting how the shooter, upon seeing the tourists descending the pyramid’s steps, began firing.
Another group of visitors lay motionless on the pyramid’s platform to avoid being targeted by the shooter.
The first to respond to the shooting were the police officers providing security within the archaeological ruins, and shortly afterward a National Guard unit arrived in a van to handle the emergency.
In past years, staff at the archaeological site carried out security scans before people entered the area but have since stopped.
The guide showed a video that he took showing a woman limping and her back covered in blood and another man’s arm being bandaged.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch 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 foreign affairs minister, said on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones. ”
The Teotihuacán pyramids are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations. As one of Mexico’s most important touristic destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.
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