A 23-year-old social media influencer from Mexico, Valeria Marquez, was shot and killed while live streaming on TikTok, according to officials in Jalisco state.
Authorities say a man entered Valeria Marquez’s salon and opened fire, hitting her while she was broadcasting live at her beauty salon in Guadalajara.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but investigators are treating the case as a possible femicide — a gender-based killing of a woman.
Valeria was streaming from her salon in the Zapopan area, sitting at a table with a stuffed toy in her hand. Just moments into the live video, she was shot. The stream only ended when someone else picked up her phone and turned it off.
Some local reports suggest the gunman pretended to deliver a gift before attacking her. Police responded to the scene around 6:30 PM local time and confirmed her death.
At this time, no suspect has been named. Authorities continue to gather evidence, and forensic teams are working to piece together what happened.
Valeria had nearly 200,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram. News of her death has left her fans stunned and heartbroken.
Zapopan’s mayor, Juan José Frangie, said there was no record of Valeria ever reporting any threats to the authorities. He called femicide “the worst kind of crime,” according to the AFP news agency.
Mexico has struggled with high levels of violence against women. The United Nations reports that around 10 women or girls are murdered every day in the country, often by partners or family members.
KanyiDaily had also reported how Swedish rapper, Gaboro was tragically shot and killed in a parking garage, with the horrifying act being livestreamed by the assailant.