Gunman at Mexican Pyramid References Ancient Rituals in Attack on Tourists

A 27-year-old man opened fire at the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacan, Mexico, on April 20, 2026, resulting in the death of a Canadian tourist and injuries to 13 others. The incident took place at the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which was once a major civilization in the Americas before its collapse around 600 CE.

The Pyramid of the Moon was constructed around 100 CE in honor of a goddess associated with water and fertility.

excavations at the pyramid have revealed skeletons with hands apparently bound behind their backs, showing signs of decapitation or spear wounds. Chemical analysis indicates these individuals were brought from distant regions of Central America. The inhabitants of Teotihuacan viewed the city as the birthplace of time, where gods sacrificed themselves to create the sun and moon.

David Carballo, an archaeologist at Boston University who participated in excavations, stated that human sacrifice was believed to maintain the cycles of creation and repay debts to the gods. He noted that such practices occurred centuries before the Aztecs arrived around 1300 CE.

The Aztecs regarded Teotihuacan as a sacred site but did not conduct sacrifices there, according to Carballo. In other parts of their empire, the Aztecs captured individuals for offerings, emphasizing captivity over battlefield killings. Carballo added that Mesoamerican societies, including the Aztecs, had features such as compulsory schooling and higher social status for women compared to contemporary Europe.

Carballo rejected theories suggesting that accounts of human sacrifice were fabricated by Spanish colonizers to portray native peoples negatively. He compared the practices to those in ancient Rome, such as crucifixions and arena executions, stating that no society was inherently more bloodthirsty.