Mexico boosts security at tourist spots after Canadian killed, others hurt on pyramid

Mexico bumped up security at multiple tourist sites Tuesday, a day after a Canadian woman was killed and at least 13 other visitors were hurt as a gunman opened fire from one of the country’s most visited and hallowed ancient pyramids.

Officials were also working to understand the motive of the shooter, who reportedly planned the attack, played strange music, ranted about hating tourists and fired randomly as visitors jumped, dove down or ran for their lives from the famous Pyramid of the Moon at the Teotihuacan site northeast of Mexico City.

The government said the gunman had books and notes about an April 1999 gun attack in the United States, a reference to the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado in which 12 students and a teacher were killed.

Monday was the 27th anniversary of the school massacre.

“Yesterday’s attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She also said it’s important to analyze “external influences” that may provoke such violence within the country.

Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in less than two months. Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s security secretary, said major tourist destinations would see a heightened presence of both ground forces and digital “cyber patrols” to prevent threats.

The identity of the Canadian woman killed wasn’t disclosed.

Officials said the injured were in stable condition. The Security Cabinet of Mexico identified the one Canadian taken to hospital as 29-year-old Delicia Li de Yong.

It said the other injured were from the U.S., Russia, the Netherlands and Brazil. The youngest was a six-year-old boy from Colombia. Officials said on social media late Tuesday that five people remain in hospital, while eight have been discharged.

The shooting happened before noon. After it was over, the shooter — 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez of Guerrero, Mexico – shot and killed himself.

Video from witnesses shows a gunman casually walking the first terrace of the massive earth and stone mounded structure as visitors lay nearby.

Greg Magadini of Boise, Idaho, was with a tour group when he heard a loud crack followed by screaming. He said the gunman was about 12 metres away on the same platform with roughly 60 tourists.

Magadini jumped down a ledge and scrambled for cover while two of his friends stayed on the platform above trying to hide.

Shots seemed to ring out every five seconds, Magadini said, as he and others jumped down more ledges to reach the ground. They then ran through a field behind the pyramid, carrying a friend who badly injured her ankle on one of the jumps.

Magadini, who came away with scrapes and cuts, said he didn’t see the shooter, but his friends said the gunman seemed to fire randomly in all directions.

“Everyone was a target,” he said.

Later at the hospital, they talked with other tourists, who said the shooter at one point played strange music and taunted them, saying he hated tourists, Magadini said.

Officials said the gunman scouted the pyramids before opening fire with an old revolver.

Members of the country’s National Guard scaled the pyramid and shot the gunman in the leg, said Jose Luis Cervantes Martinez, the attorney general of the state of Mexico.

He said the gunman then shot himself because he was cornered.

Security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition at the scene.

The shooter carried a tactical-style backpack and also had books and materials related to the 1999 U.S. attack, Martinez said.

One of the seized items was a photo modified by artificial intelligence that depicts the gunman alongside the Columbine attackers, according to a state official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to address the media.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked Sheinbaum for her attention to the tragedy and offered condolences to family and friends of the victim.

“It’s a sad day … it’s a terrible circumstance,” Carney said. “We’re working with Mexican authorities.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, asked whether Ottawa would be revising its travel advisory for Mexico, said the countries are in close contact. “At this time, we are examining all issues relating to the bilateral relationship.”

The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are considered one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations. The site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.

Canadian tourism is big business for Mexico, second only to visits by Americans.

McKenzie McMillan, a travel consultant with Vancouver-based Travel Group, said flights to Mexico make up to between 25 and 30 per cent of the agency’s winter bookings.

It’s unlikely the shooting in Mexico will have an impact on other Canadians planning to visit the area, he said. Teotihuacan is usually an excursion for tourists visiting Mexico City and is considered safe.

There was concern in February, when tourists were stranded in the coastal resort town of Puerto Vallarta, as drug gangs rampaged, burned cars, and blocked roads in revenge of the death of a cartel leader.

Anand warned Canadians then to be cautious about travelling to Mexico. Some airlines also cancelled flights to and from Puerto Vallarta.

“We definitely fielded a lot of calls about Puerto Vallarta when the situation there first happened,” said McMillan. “But it really died off quickly, and we found we didn’t end up getting any cancellations.”

He said the pyramid shooting was very tragic but will likely not deter visitors.

“It really is a rare and very unfortunate situation, but Mexico is becoming increasingly safe, especially those larger cities.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

Dean Bennett and Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press