MEXICO CITY — A Canadian woman has been killed and several people injured after a man opened fire at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids, according to Mexican officials.
According to preliminary information, the gunman fired shots at the popular archaeological site, killing the 32-year-oldwoman before taking his own life.
Authorities say they seized a firearm, a bladed weapon and live cartridges at the site.
At least 13 people were injured during the attack, with eight still hospitalized late Monday, the Secretary of Government said in a statement. Earlier Monday, the State of Mexico said four people had gunshot wounds and two others were injured falling.
Among those taken to hospitals were six Americans, three Colombians, one Russian, two Brazilians and one Canadian, the Associated Press reported, citing the local government.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed her solidarity with the victims of a shooting at one of the country’s most important tourist destinations, the ancient pyramid complex.
The shooting happened as Mexico faces scrutiny over public security during preparations to welcome millions of visitors for the World Cup this summer.
Videos on social media show people fleeing the area after gunfire was heard around Teotihuacán’s Pyramid of the Moon.
“There was a big push and panic of everybody running at the same time to get out,” a British couple have told the BBC, describing chaotic scenes amid the sound of gunfire.
The pre-Hispanic pyramids and ruins at Teotihuacán are a Unesco World Heritage Site and among the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The Teotihuacán is an ancient city, home to massive pyramids, and predates the Aztecs.
Sheinbaum said she was following updates and was in touch with the Canadian embassy.
She wrote on social media that she had instructed her security cabinet to investigate the incident and provide all necessary support.
“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote in Spanish.
Canada’s foreign minister, Anita Anand, confirmed a Canadian was killed and another wounded in the incident.
She said Canadian consular officials were providing assistance.
State Security Secretary Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo told reporters on Monday that two Colombians, a Russian and a Canadian were among those injured.
The gunman’s identity has not yet been released, and officials haven’t revealed a motive for the shooting.
It will be the site of an immersive nighttime show for tourists during the World Cup this summer, the Mexico state government announced earlier this month.
Earlier this year, the Mexican Government was forced to reassure people that security will not be an issue during the tournament after gunmen from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel terrorised numerous cities amid burning barricades and gun violence following the killing of the group’s leader, Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho”.
While this latest incident appears to have no link to drug violence: the victim was a Canadian tourist shot by a man who opened fire from the site’s iconic Pyramid of the Moon.
Despite the widespread cartel violence in Mexico, incidents involving tourists are rare. — Agencies
Source: Saudi Gazette