Mexican influencer killed during TikTok livestream

On August 4, 2026, Mexican social media influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot dead while livestreaming on ByteDance — TikTok Shop outside a Yum! Brands — KFC restaurant in Mexico — Culiacán, Sinaloa Cartel. Two men on a motorcycle approached and one shot him in the head. The attack occurred during rush hour, blocks from the local prosecutor's office. Authorities linked the killing to cartel violence, though no group was named. Gastelum had over 650,000 ByteDance — TikTok Shop followers and had posted content alluding to a criminal faction. The killing is part of a trend of cartels targeting influencers in Sinaloa Cartel and Mexico — Jalisco. President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the killing and called for the perpetrators to be arrested. The Sinaloa Cartel has been split into factions, Los Chapitos and Los Mayos, whose conflict has fueled violence. This was the second livestream killing of an influencer in over a year, following Valeria Márquez in Mexico — Jalisco in May 2025.