An armed man standing atop one of the historic Teotihuacan pyramids opened fire Monday, leaving one Canadian tourist dead and another among the injured at the archeological site an hour north of Mexico’s capital, authorities said.
The shooter later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the authorities said in a statement.
The local government said four people were wounded by gunshots and two more were injured from falls. The injured also included Colombian and Russian tourists, the government said.
"As a result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacan, Mexico," Anita Anand, Canada's foreign affairs minister, said in a social media post. "My thoughts are with their family and loved ones."
Video and photos published by local news organizations show a man standing with a gun on top of one pyramid while people duck for cover. A number of gunshots ring out.
The shooting happened before noon when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon.
A man standing on the structure’s platform began firing upward, according to a tour guide who was at the scene and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
“Some people, because they were scared ... threw themselves face down on the ground, and the rest of us started to go down,” the guide said, recounting how the shooter began firing when he saw tourists descending the pyramid’s steps.
Another group of visitors lay motionless on the platform to avoid being targeted by the shooter.
Police officers providing security at the archeological ruins responded, followed shortly after by a National Guard unit.
In past years, staff at the archeological site carried out security scans before people entered the area but have since stopped.
The guide showed a video that he took showing a woman limping and her back covered in blood and another man’s arm being bandaged.
Security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition after the shooting.
A local health authority said a child was among the wounded but that there were no serious injuries. One person received help for an anxiety attack.
“What happened today in Teotihuacan deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media.
She said the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy.
Cameron MacKay, the Canadian ambassador to Mexico, said in a social media post he was deeply saddened by the shooting. "My sincere condolences to their family and loved ones."
The Teotihuacan pyramids are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations. One of Mexico's most important touristic destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP - Eduardo Verdugo
