Gunman Opens Fire From Ancient Mexican Pyramid, Killing Canadian Tourist and Injuring Six

Teotihuacan, Mexico — A gunman opened fire from the ancient Pyramid of the Moon at the Teotihuacan archaeological site on Monday, killing a Canadian tourist and injuring six others before turning the weapon on himself, authorities reported.

The attacker climbed to the fifth tier of the nearly 2,000-year-old pyramid around noon and began shooting at tourists below. Four people sustained gunshot wounds, while two others suffered injuries after jumping from the structure to escape the gunfire.

All victims were women and included another Canadian, two Colombians, and a Russian national. Videos from the scene show the gunman, wearing a black mask and armed with what appears to be a handgun, moving along the pyramid’s upper levels as visitors take cover.

Authorities recovered a revolver, a knife, and several rounds of ammunition at the scene. The Pyramid of the Moon stands 140 feet tall at the northern end of the Street of the Dead in the Teotihuacan complex, which draws more than 1.2 million visitors annually and ranks as Mexico’s second most visited archaeological site after Chichen Itza.

Built between 100 and 450 C.E., centuries before the Aztec empire, the pyramid was historically used for human and animal sacrifices during religious ceremonies. Archaeological evidence suggests most sacrificial victims were captured from other parts of Mesoamerica.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, stating she had contacted the Canadian Embassy regarding the incident.