Gunman who fired on tourists at Mexican pyramid carried materials related to 1999 Columbine massacre

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The gunman who opened occurrence connected tourists astatine Mexico’s iconic Teotihuacan pyramids carried materials that were seemingly related to the 1999 shooting astatine Columbine High School, authorities said Tuesday, a time aft the onslaught that killed a Canadian pistillate and near astatine slightest 13 radical injured.

Although officials did not notation Columbine by name, they referred to respective books and handwritten notes that belonged to the gunman and referenced attacks successful the United States successful April 1999. Monday was the 27th day of the massacre successful Colorado.

Among the gunman's belongings was a photograph modified by artificial quality showing him alongside the Columbine attackers, according to a authorities authoritative who spoke to The Associated Press connected the information of anonymity due to the fact that the authoritative was not authorized to code the media.

Seven radical were wounded by gunshots astatine the archaeological tract northbound of the Mexican capital, the section authorities said. The quality of the different injuries was not disclosed, but immoderate radical fell erstwhile the shooting started, including immoderate who were climbing connected the pyramids.

The assailant, who acted alone, changeable and killed himself, authorities said, and information officials recovered a gun, a weapon and ammunition astatine the scene.

Attack came earlier World Cup tournament

The onslaught happened little than 2 months earlier Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup shot tournament. Mexico's information secretary, Omar García Harfuch, said large tourer destinations would spot a heightened beingness of some crushed forces and integer “cyber patrols” to forestall threats.

“Yesterday’s onslaught highlights the urgent request to fortify our information protocols,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She besides noted the value of analyzing “external influences” that whitethorn provoke specified unit wrong the country.

While specified attacks are uncommon successful Latin America, they are not unheard of. Earlier this month, Argentine authorities linked a teen to the “true transgression community” aft the teen killed 1 pupil and wounded 8 others astatine a schoolhouse successful the cardinal state of Santa Fe. The assemblage is an online subculture that emerged from forums established aft the Columbine massacre to sermon and, successful immoderate cases, glorify specified violence.

Taken to hospitals aft the Mexico onslaught were six radical from the U.S., 3 from Colombia, 1 from Russia, 1 from Brazil, 1 from the Netherlands and 1 from Canada, the section authorities said. The youngest idiosyncratic who was wounded was 6; the oldest was 61, Mexican authorities said.

Shooter scouted tourer tract up of attack

Authorities identified the attacker arsenic 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a autochthonal of Guerrero, Mexico, who, they said, arrived successful Teotihuacan a time earlier successful an Uber and stayed successful a hotel.

Then connected Monday soon earlier noon, portion atop the Pyramid of the Moon, helium began firing astatine tourists with an aged revolver portion holding a integrative container containing 52 .38-caliber cartridges successful his different hand, said José Luis Cervantes Martínez, the lawyer wide of the authorities of Mexico, which includes Teotihuacan.

From the acme of the pyramid, the attacker opened occurrence connected tourists and targeted approaching information forces. Some radical threw themselves to the crushed and laic motionless to debar detection. Others fled down the operation arsenic gunshots echoed, Cervantes Martínez said.

National Guard members yet scaled the pyramid and wounded the attacker successful the leg. Witnesses said the gunman changeable and killed himself erstwhile helium felt cornered, according to Cervantes Martínez.

The assailant carried a tactical-style backpack containing an analog cellphone and autobus tickets, Cervantes Martínez said.

The lawyer wide besides noted the beingness of “literature, images and manuscripts" that related to "violent incidents known to person occurred successful the United States successful April 1999,” a apt notation to the Columbine onslaught successful which 12 students and a teacher were killed.

Investigators built "a psychopathic profile" of the fishy that was "characterized by a inclination to transcript situations that occurred successful different places, astatine different times and involving different figures,’” helium added.

Greg Magadini, of Boise, Idaho, was with a circuit radical connected apical of the pyramid erstwhile helium heard a large ace followed by screaming. The gunman was astir 40 feet (12 meters) distant connected the aforesaid level with astir 60 tourists, helium said.

Magadini jumped down a ledge and scrambled for screen portion 2 of his friends stayed connected the level supra trying to hide.

Witnesses said everyone was a target

Shots seemed to ringing retired each 5 seconds, Magadini said, arsenic helium and the others jumped down much ledges to scope the ground. Then they ran done a tract down the pyramid, carrying 1 of his friends who severely injured her ankle connected 1 of the jumps.

Magadini, who came distant with scrapes and cuts, said helium did not spot the shooter, but his friends said the gunman seemed to occurrence randomly successful each directions. “Everyone was a target,” helium said.

Later astatine the hospital, they talked with different tourists, who said the shooter astatine 1 constituent played unusual euphony and taunted them, saying helium hated tourists, Magadini said.

The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a bid of past structures connected the outskirts of Mexico City. As 1 of Mexico’s astir fashionable tourer destinations, the tract drew much than 1.8 cardinal planetary visitors past year, according to authorities figures.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to the household and friends of the Canadian tourer who was killed. He said Canadian authorities were moving with those successful Mexico.

“It’s a unspeakable circumstance,” Carney said.

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Associated Press writers Megan Janetsky and and Fabiola Sánchez successful Mexico City and John Seewer successful Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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