At the time of her murder, the Canadian woman was in the midst of taking her vacation by visiting one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Mexico, and she was shot by an unidentified assailant (the assailant subsequently committed suicide, and there has been no information discovered as to why the assailant committed this extremely violent act).
The shooter was at the Pyramid of the Moon, witnessed by multiple victims who were shot, in addition to the Canadian female and the assailant. The police recovered the weapon from the site, along with several other weapons, including knives and various amounts of ammunition. The deceased female Canadian and her assailant have not been officially identified as of yet, and the investigation remains ongoing to determine if there were any co-conspirators who committed this act of violence against such a cultural site in history.
Claudia Sheinbaum (the President of Mexico) responded very quickly to the shooting by issuing a public statement of condolences to all of the victims and their families following the murder of the Canadian female victim. She said in her post in Spanish on Social Media that the events at Teotihuacán were very troubling to her, and she wanted to express her condolences to all affected and to extend her heartfelt wishes to the families.
She noted that she had indicated to her Security Cabinet to initiate a complete investigation of the incident and to render assistance to families who have been affected as required. She indicated she was in direct communication with the Canadian Embassy during the incident because of the magnitude of the incident, and that the individual who was killed was a tourist from Canada who was visiting Mexico at the time, and that this has diplomatic significance.
Death Confirmed by Canada
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, officially stated that there were two Canadian citizens, one deceased and another injured. She stated that the Canadian officials at the Consulate in Mexico City are on site to assist those who were involved and their families. The Secretary of State for Public Security, Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo, also stated to the press that he confirmed two Colombian citizens, one Russian citizen, and one Canadian citizen were among the injured parties and that all of the injured persons are currently in the hospital receiving treatment.
The Government of Canada is actively working with families of the deceased and injured and will continue to provide consular support to the injured parties.
Witnesses Describe Panic and Confusion
A British couple visiting from London to see the site on vacation described the horrific scenes of panic and confusion they witnessed during the incident. When they were taking a picture close to the Pyramid of the Sun, there was a sudden commotion as large groups of people began running toward them and yelling about a gunman. Gunfire was increasingly evident, and panic spread throughout the site.
The couple took it upon themselves to lead their tour group toward an exit; however, many others appeared very confused by the events that had taken place. As they approached the ticket gates, the couple observed tourists, ignorant of the events taking place inside, still being let into the site.
A Lack of Coordination in the Evacuation Plan
The British couple described the failure of the site's emergency response by stating that there was absolutely no plan for a coordinated evacuation during the incident. Witnesses stated that, while there were officials running about the complex, none of these officials were directing people toward safe exits or providing any details about the best way to exit the facility. The couple also expressed discomfort when entering the site with their backpack, as they were not subject to any security checks.
They indicate that this facility was poorly positioned for a security emergency of this magnitude, thus raising questions about safety protocols at one of Mexico's most popular tourist sites.
FIFA World Cup Security Issues
This attack comes at a crucial time as security concerns increase regarding the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be held in Mexico, starting with an opening match on June 11 in Mexico City featuring Mexico vs. South Africa. An estimated 5.5 million international visitors are anticipated to attend the tournament, according to Mexican officials. Earlier this year, the Mexican government was forced to reassure the global community about safety and security within the country due to violent incidents attributed to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in multiple locales. As part of its commitment to security, Mexico has announced that it will send nearly 100,000 security forces to ensure fan safety during the tournament.
Teotihuacán, considered to be one of the many historical sites located in Mexico, is also planned as the location for an immersive nighttime show to be provided to tourists as part of the World Cup experience.
Although violence against tourists, as described above, is rare, it can have a major impact on Mexico's international image and tourist industry. In addition, because Mexico will welcome millions of visitors from around the world, it is heavily dependent on international tourists for its economy. Authorities have started their investigation into the events surrounding the shooting, and further details concerning the motive behind the attack will be released as the investigation continues.
