César Gastélum, a well-known TikToker in Culiacán, Sinaloa, was shot and killed on the night of Aug. 4 while livestreaming an activity in which he delivered food orders to his followers.

According to local reports, two men traveling on a motorcycle approached Gastélum just outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in the Desarrollo Urbano Tres Ríos area. One of the men reportedly shot Gastélum in the head with a handgun before both suspects fled the scene.

At the time of the shooting, Gastélum was accompanied by two people who were collaborating with him on the livestream. Both survived the attack, according to Infobae México.

Videos from the livestream and surveillance footage from the restaurant showed Gastélum being approached near the drive-thru exit, where two individuals walked towards the influencer and opened fire at close range.

In another video, the two attackers can be seen riding past the area on a motorcycle before the shooting. The recording captures one of the people traveling with Gastélum saying, “Let’s go, guys,” while another voice responds, “No, the motorcycle, the motorcycle.” The exchange ends with Gastélum saying, “No, listen, I felt really bad. No, no, no, those guys scare me.”

Gastélum operated under the username @cesargastelum04 on TikTok, where he had more than 500,000 followers and over 22.2 million likes. He also maintained accounts on Instagram, YouTube and Kick.

His killing marks at least the 10th case of a content creator being murdered in Sinaloa since an internal war broke out within the Sinaloa Cartel between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza.

Those killed include Juan Carlos “El Chilango,” Miguel Vivanco “El Jasper,” Leovardo Aispuro “El Gordo Peruci,” Rafael “El Peinadito,” Camilo Ochoa, Víctor Manuel “El Brasileño,” Agustín Paul “El Pinky,” Adalberto Peña “El Tata,” “El Jerry” and Gail Castro, the brother of influencer Markitos Toys, who has been linked to Los Chapitos.

According to Infobae México, Gastélum developed a friendship with influencer Leovardo Aispuro, known as “El Gordo Peruci,” who was killed in December 2024 outside his home. That same month, Gastélum shared a photo from Aispuro’s grave with the message: “I will never forget all the advice you gave me. I will miss you very much, my friend.”

Aispuro’s name appeared on narco banners dropped from aircraft in January 2025 that accused 25 artists and influencers of having ties to Los Chapitos.

According to reports, Gastélum may have been linked to La Mayiza, the faction led by Ismael Zambada Sicairos, also known as “Mayito Flaco,” the son of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

Three days before his death, Gastélum posted a video on Instagram and TikTok showing him alongside content creator “La Beba” dancing to the song “La Cita Fresita 2” by Grupo Aztteca, a track that references drug trafficking. In the video, Gastélum wore a hat, a symbol that has been associated with La Mayiza since the cartel conflict began in September 2024.

In Sinaloa, wearing or referencing a hat is closely associated with El Mayo Zambada, whose nickname among associates was “El del Sombrero.” As a result, some social media users and local media outlets have interpreted its use as a sign of affiliation with La Mayiza.

Other posts on Gastélum’s TikTok account also showed him frequently referencing or displaying hats, including on the night of his killing, when he was wearing one. A video circulating on X also shows him alongside other individuals, where people can be heard saying, “Long live El Mayo,” according to Infobae México.