Mexican influencer César Gastélum was live-streaming outside a fast-food restaurant when two men on a motorbike stopped next to him, pulled out a gun, and shot him in the head. His brutal murder in Culiacán, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, happened in just a few seconds on Tuesday in front of an audience of thousands of social media users watching his TikTok stream.

Cartel Violence and Influencers

The killings of influencers in Mexico have risen, with some experts attributing the phenomenon to possible links between content creators and illegal immigrant organizations, as well as the ongoing clashes between different factions of the Sinaloa cartel. Federal authorities in Mexico have opened investigations to determine whether Gastélum and other influencers’ killings are related to drug cartels.

Gastélum posted similar content on his Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts, which together had more than 1 million followers. He also shared humorous clips. In one of the last videos he posted on TikTok, he appears on a street dressed as a priest, accompanied by regional music and the message, “Only the Lord knows the sins I have committed to see you, my love.”

Investigations and Connections to Cartels

There is no official record of how many influencers have been killed in Mexico. Local media estimate there have been about 20 cases nationwide over the past two years, most of which occurred in Sinaloa, a state that during the same period has seen an increase in violence due to the struggle between the two main factions of the Sinaloa Cartel: Los Chapitos and Los Mayos.

Mexican authorities have not reported whether any of the Sinaloa influencers killed in the past two years were under investigation for possible links to illegal immigrant groups. CNN contacted the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) for comment.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.