A gunman on a motorcycle shot Mexican TikTok star César Gastélum dead outside a KFC in Culiacán on Tuesday night, killing him as hundreds of viewers watched the livestream unfold. The 25-year-old, who had built a following of more than 600,000 people on TikTok through comedy sketches and daily-life clips, was live on the platform Kick when two helmeted riders pulled up beside him.
Mexican federal and local authorities confirmed his death, with a Sinaloa state security official telling Reuters that a major security operation was underway. The killing has reignited concern over the safety of content creators in a region gripped by cartel violence, where rival factions have long fought for control of drug trafficking routes and local economies.
