The gunman who opened fire at Mexico's ancient Teotihuacán pyramids was carrying materials referencing the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and showed signs of psychological problems, according to Mexican authorities.
Julio César Jasso Ramírez, 27, carried a handgun, dozens of cartridges, a knife, and documents related to violent acts during Monday's attack at the Pyramid of the Moon, officials said Tuesday. The Mexican national planned and executed the assault alone before fatally shooting himself after a standoff with police.
A Canadian tourist was killed and 13 others were injured in the shooting at the popular archaeological site northwest of Mexico City. Victims ranged from six to 61 years old, with seven suffering gunshot wounds including two minors from Colombia and Brazil.
"Based on everything indicated by the prosecutorial authorities, this person showed signs of psychological problems and was influenced by incidents that occurred abroad," President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a media conference.
José Luis Cervantes Martínez, attorney general of the State of Mexico, confirmed the shooter carried "literature, images and documents allegedly related to acts of violence that may have occurred in the United States in April 1999." Witnesses reported hearing Jasso Ramírez reference the Columbine shooting, which occurred exactly 27 years before Monday's attack.
Authorities said the gunman had visited the archaeological site multiple times and arrived just before noon on Monday. "This act was not spontaneous," Cervantes Martínez emphasized.
After scaling the ancient pyramid, Jasso Ramírez began shooting from one of its platforms. Videos recorded by tourists captured the gunman making threats as visitors fled. He fired 14 times at victims and responding officers before being shot in the leg by a National Guard member. The shooter then took his own life.
Teotihuacán, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracted approximately 1.8 million visitors last year, was closed following the shooting. President Sheinbaum announced the site would reopen Wednesday with reinforced security, including metal detectors at entrances.
The president also ordered strengthened security at archaeological and tourist sites nationwide and vowed to guarantee safety for the upcoming World Cup football matches, which begin June 11 in Mexico City.
"It is safe to be in Mexico," Sheinbaum stated, noting that 16 million foreign visitors arrived between January and February.