Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a 27-year-old man from Guerrero, opened fire atop the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacán, killing a Canadian tourist and injuring 13 others before committing suicide. State of Mexico authorities identified him as a potential copycat of the Columbine massacre, with far-right links according to reports. Videos capture the attacker's xenophobic and misogynistic rants.
On Monday, Julio César Jasso Ramírez, 27, from Tlapa municipality in Guerrero but living in Mexico City, climbed to the top of the Pyramid of the Moon at the Teotihuacán archaeological site in Mexico State. Dressed in military attire and armed with a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver made in the US in the 1960s, he subdued dozens of tourists, many foreigners, forcing them to lie prone. Videos shared on social media show him firing spaced shots, killing a Canadian woman and shooting seven others, while six more suffered injuries and fractures in the chaos.
National Guard elements arrived, wounded Jasso Ramírez in the leg, and he took his own life with his weapon, according to the State of Mexico Prosecutor's Office. His backpack contained dozens of cartridges, a knife, and pamphlets about the 1999 Columbine massacre on April 20, coinciding with the attack and Hitler's birthday. Prosecutor José Luis Cervantes described the attacker as having a 'psychopathic profile,' 'disconnected from the real world' who left 'notes' about inspirations 'beyond Earth'.
According to Milenio newspaper, Jasso Ramírez followed Hitler and posted photos giving the Nazi salute. A video recorded by a victim captures his nationalist rant: 'And you who have come from fucking Europe won't go back,' 'If you move, I'll sacrifice you! This was built for sacrificing, assholes'. He threatened tourists identified as Portuguese and Brazilian, and hurled misogynistic insults at a woman. He wore a T-shirt saying 'Disconnect & Self-Destruct,' linked to the True Crime Community associated with Columbine.
The incident echoes recent crimes in Mexico by young people with extremist ideologies, such as attacks in Michoacán and UNAM. Authorities announced enhanced security at archaeological sites.
