Overview
- César Gastélum, a popular content creator with about 500,000–600,000 followers, was killed during a live stream outside a KFC in the Tres Ríos area of Culiacán when two helmeted people on a motorcycle approached and a passenger fired at him.
- Video of the broadcast reviewed by Reuters appears to show the motorcycle stopping beside Gastélum before the rider shoots directly at him, and the livestream was later removed by platforms while clips continued to spread on social media.
- Local officials confirmed his death and deployed municipal police, soldiers and forensic teams to secure the scene, collect ballistic evidence and review nearby security-camera footage.
- Investigators have not publicly named suspects or released a motive, and authorities are treating the case as part of an ongoing pattern of targeted killings in Sinaloa that endanger public-facing creators.
- The killing echoes previous livestream attacks, including the May 2025 murder of Valeria Márquez, and raises urgent questions about creator safety, how platforms handle live violent content, and the use of online video as evidence.