A tragic incident unfolded in Guadalajara, Mexico, as 23-year-old social media influencer Valeria Marquez was fatally shot while live-streaming on TikTok. The popular content creator was in the middle of a livestream from her Blossom the Beauty Lounge salon when a gunman entered under the pretext of delivering an “expensive gift” and opened fire.
Marquez, who had amassed nearly 200,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok for her beauty and lifestyle videos, appeared visibly concerned earlier during the stream. She mentioned that someone had visited the salon when she was absent, bringing an expensive gift, but she was reluctant to wait for their return. Moments before the shooting, she was heard saying, “they’re coming,” and responded to a voice calling her name just before muting her livestream.
Suddenly, gunshots rang out in the background. Marquez clutched her chest and collapsed onto the table as viewers watched helplessly. The livestream briefly showed another person picking up the phone before the video abruptly ended.
According to the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office, Marquez was shot in the chest and head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities revealed the shooter arrived on a motorcycle, posing as a gift delivery person. The investigation is being conducted under femicide protocols, given the nature of the crime and the growing concerns around gender-based violence in Mexico.
Femicide — the killing of women or girls due to their gender — remains a pressing issue in Mexico and Latin America. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mexico, along with Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, ranks fourth in femicide rates, with 1.3 such deaths per 100,000 women reported in 2023.
Jalisco state, where the incident occurred, ranks sixth among Mexico’s 32 states for homicide cases, with 906 murders recorded since October 2024, according to data from consultancy TResearch.
The prosecutor’s office has not yet named any suspects. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of women and public figures in Mexico amid rising violence and gender-based crimes.
Sources By Agencies
