On Monday morning, April 20, 2026, thousands of tourists were doing what millions before them have done at Teotihuacan, one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Western Hemisphere. They were climbing the ancient pyramids, taking photos, soaking in over 2,000 years of history under a bright Mexican sky. By noon, one person was dead, more than a dozen were wounded, and the site was locked down as a crime scene.
A gunman had opened fire from atop the Pyramid of the Moon, turning a beloved tourist destination into a scene of absolute terror. Here’s everything we know about what happened, who was affected, and what comes next.
The Attack Began Just Before Noon
At approximately 11:20 a.m. local time, authorities received the first reports of an armed individual threatening civilians at the Teotihuacan archaeological zone. The site sits about 30 miles northeast of Mexico City in the State of Mexico. Dozens of tourists were on or near the Pyramid of the Moon when the gunman began firing.
Witnesses described hearing more than 20 shots. The gunman reportedly argued with several people before pulling out a firearm and firing from the top of the 45-meter-high pyramid. The structure’s steep steps, carved from volcanic rock, left people with almost nowhere to go. Some threw themselves flat on the ground. Others tried to scramble down the narrow steps as bullets echoed off stone that’s stood for two millennia.
A tour guide who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity described the chaos. “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. The shooter kept firing as tourists descended the pyramid’s steps.
One Dead, Thirteen Wounded
The sole fatality among the victims was a 32-year-old Canadian woman. Thirteen other tourists were injured. Seven of those suffered gunshot wounds. The other six were hurt during the frantic scramble to escape, falling from the pyramid’s steep ledges or tripping on the uneven stone steps.
Among the wounded were six Americans, three Colombians, two Brazilians, one Russian, and another Canadian. The injured Canadian was identified as 29-year-old Delicia Li de Yong. One additional person was treated for an anxiety attack.
Among the injured were a 6-year-old Colombian boy who was struck twice in the leg and a 13-year-old from Brazil. At least one person was listed in critical condition. All of the wounded were transported to Axapusco General Hospital. As of early Tuesday, eight remained hospitalized and five had been discharged.
American Tourist Describes Jumping 15 Feet to Escape
Greg Magadini, an American tourist from Boise, Idaho, was visiting the site with friends as part of an 11-person tour. He recalled standing barely 40 feet from the gunman when the shooting started. The first shot, he said, sounded like “a big crack.” After that, shots seemed to ring out every five seconds.
Magadini said he jumped roughly 15 feet off a ledge in a desperate attempt to find cover. He and others then ran through a field behind the pyramid, carrying one of his friends who had badly injured her ankle during one of the jumps. Magadini came away with scrapes and cuts. His friends told him the gunman seemed to fire randomly in all directions.
“Everyone was a target,” he said.
Later, at the hospital, Magadini and other tourists compared stories. Some said the shooter had played strange music through a speaker during the attack and taunted them, saying he hated tourists. A 6-year-old boy’s father had carried his son, shot twice in the leg, down the temple steps and across the field. “It was really, really hard to see,” Magadini said. “This poor boy, he was screaming out for help.”
A Witness Watched the Gunman Hold Hostages
Laura Torres, a Mexican tourist from Guerrero, was entering the site when she heard the gunfire. She could see the gunman shooting from the top of the pyramid and described a group of people being held at the summit.
“I saw the guy shooting from up on the pyramid, and there were a lot of people there. He had people as hostages,” Torres told local media. “After a short time I saw him let one person down, a girl. For a moment I thought he was going to shoot her in the back, but no, thank God he let her go. Shortly after, he let another guy down, but the hostages were still there.”
Torres recalled hearing more than 20 gunshots. She saw a tourist “lying about halfway up the pyramid” who had been shot.
The Shooter Was Identified as a 27-Year-Old From Mexico City
The State of Mexico Prosecutor’s Office identified the gunman as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, born September 9, 1998. He was a native of Mexico City with an address in the northern borough of Gustavo A. Madero. His voter credential was found in his backpack. Prosecutors said preliminary evidence indicated he acted alone and had no ties to criminal groups or drug cartels.
Mexican media reported Jasso wore tactical-style pants and boots. He carried a tactical-style backpack containing a firearm, a knife, multiple rounds of ammunition, an analog cellphone, and bus tickets. Authorities seized the weapon and remaining cartridges at the scene.
State Attorney General José Luis Cervantes Martínez told reporters that the backpack also contained “literature, images, and manuscripts” related to “violent incidents known to have occurred in the United States in April 1999.” Among the materials was a photo modified by artificial intelligence showing Jasso alongside the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. He had written in notes that he “was going to carry out the act” and that he “drew inspiration from beyond Earth.” The attack occurred on the 27th anniversary of the Columbine shooting and on Adolf Hitler’s birthday. Jasso had expressed admiration for Hitler.
National Guard Arrived Within Minutes
Mexico’s security cabinet said authorities received the first report of the attack around 11:20 a.m. National Guard personnel arrived roughly ten minutes later and began ascending the pyramid. According to officials, the gunman fired shots in the direction of the approaching guardsmen, who returned fire and wounded him in the leg.
Witnesses said Jasso shot and killed himself at approximately 11:45 a.m. once he felt cornered by the advancing security forces. Forensic workers were later photographed carrying the body of a victim down the pyramid.
The Teotihuacan site was immediately closed to the public as authorities launched their investigation. State security forces and additional National Guard units were deployed to the area.
International Response Was Swift
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson confirmed that several American citizens were among the injured. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to the family and friends of the Canadian woman who was killed, calling it “a terrible circumstance.” Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand posted on social media calling the shooting “a horrific act of gun violence.” Canadian Ambassador to Mexico Cameron MacKay said he was deeply saddened.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media: “What happened today in Teotihuacan deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families.” She confirmed the shooting would be fully investigated and said she was in communication with the Canadian Embassy.
Security Concerns Spike Ahead of the World Cup
The timing of this attack is impossible to ignore. Mexico is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Canada beginning June 11, less than two months after the shooting. Mexico City will host the tournament’s opening match, and the country is scheduled to host 13 matches across three cities through July 5.
The Teotihuacan pyramids had even been proposed as a location for an immersive nighttime show during the World Cup festivities. Now, the site is a closed crime scene.
President Sheinbaum acknowledged that the attacker was able to enter Teotihuacan with a firearm because archaeological sites in Mexico do not have security checkpoints. “Because this situation has never occurred before,” she said, adding that “we have to increase security checks to ensure that no one enters an archaeological site or public place with a firearm.”
Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch announced that major tourist destinations would see an increased presence of both ground forces and digital “cyber patrols” to identify and prevent threats. “Following the president’s instructions, security will now also be strengthened at archaeological sites, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture,” he said. “We are convinced that World Cup security is guaranteed.”
Mexican commentators were less certain, questioning whether the country can effectively guarantee the safety of tourists and locals with the world watching this summer.
Teotihuacan Is One of the Most Visited Sites in the Americas
Teotihuacan is not some small, out-of-the-way ruin. It’s the second most popular archaeological site in all of Mexico, drawing over 1.8 million visitors in 2025 alone. In just the first five months of last year, approximately 722,000 people walked through its gates. The ancient city, marked by three colossal pyramids including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, is older than the Aztecs and was once one of the largest cities in the world.
For Americans, it’s an easy day trip from Mexico City. It’s the kind of place you put on your bucket list. It has UNESCO World Heritage status and is considered a site of “outstanding universal value.” Until Monday, it was considered a culturally safe destination. That perception has been shattered.
The day after the attack, some residents in the town of Teotihuacan were already worried that increased security measures at the site could affect the local economy, which depends heavily on tourism. It’s a grim calculation, but a real one for the people who live and work in the shadow of those ancient stones.
While Mexico continues to deal with drug cartel violence in many parts of the country, untargeted mass shootings like this one are relatively rare. That’s part of what made Monday so shocking. This wasn’t cartel business. This was a lone gunman, obsessed with a 27-year-old American massacre, standing on top of a 2,000-year-old monument and shooting at strangers from around the world.
