Mexico's famous Teotihuacan pyramids are closed after gunman opens fire on tourists

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s iconic Teotihuacan pyramids were closed Tuesday, a day after a gunman rained bullets down on tourists, killing a Canadian woman and leaving at least 13 people injured, including a 6-year-old boy, at the archaeological site north of the capital.

Seven people were wounded by gunshots, the local government said. The nature of the other injuries was not disclosed, but some people fell when shooting started, including some who were climbing on the pyramids.

The assailant, who acted alone, shot and killed himself, authorities said, and security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition at the scene.

Taken to hospitals were six people from the U.S., three from Colombia, one from Russia, one from Brazil, one from the Netherlands and one from Canada, the local government said. The youngest person who was hurt was 6; the oldest was 61, Mexican authorities said.

In an update Tuesday morning, Mexico's security cabinet said the injured patients were being treated at a clinic after spending the night in stable condition.

Authorities identified the attacker as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a native of Guerrero, Mexico.

The assailant carried a tactical-style backpack containing an analog cellphone and bus tickets, said José Luis Cervantes Martínez, the attorney general of the state of Mexico, which includes Teotihuacan.

Martínez also noted the presence of “literature, images and manuscripts" related to "violent incidents known to have occurred in the United States in April 1999,” an apparent reference to the deadly shooting at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, in which 12 students and a teacher were killed.

The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of massive structures on the outskirts of Mexico City built by three different ancient civilizations. As one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.

The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. Monday, when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. The gunman fired 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 as tourists descended the pyramid’s steps.

Another group of visitors lay motionless on the pyramid’s platform to avoid being targeted.

---

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america