Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday expressed condolences to the family of the Canadian woman killed in a shooting in Mexico, which a Canadian witness who narrowly avoided being caught in the gunfire described as “horrible” and “unbelievable.”
Mexican authorities are investigating after a man opened fire on visitors at the historic Teotihuacán pyramids, a popular tourist site outside Mexico City, on Monday before taking his own life. Thirteen people of various nationalities were injured, seven of whom — including a second Canadian — were struck by gunfire.
The name of the woman killed has not yet been released by authorities, but a list of the 13 injured patients in hospital released by Mexico’s security cabinet named the second Canadian as 29-year-old Delicia Li de Yong.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has promised an investigation and strengthened security around Mexican archaeological zones and main tourist destinations.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the individual who was tragically killed,” Carney told reporters while heading into a cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
“It’s a terrible circumstance. I very much appreciate President Sheinbaum’s personal attention to the matter, and we’re working with Mexican authorities on the situation. But it’s a sad day.”
Officials said Tuesday that the shooting was a planned attack and the gunman was carrying materials apparently related to the deadly 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. Monday was the 27th anniversary of that massacre.
Besides the Canadians, the injured victims included six people from the U.S., three from Colombia, one from Russia, one from Brazil and one from the Netherlands, the local government said. The youngest person hurt was a six-year-old child and the oldest was 61 years old, Mexican authorities said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said while heading into the meeting that she had spoken with her Mexican counterpart earlier Tuesday morning and he had committed to an investigation.
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She said consular officials were assisting the remaining victims and were available to help all Canadians in Mexico.
“Of course, I express my own condolences to the family of the victim, and I will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Canadians are supported abroad, and that this investigation uncovers facts relating to the death, the murder of a Canadian citizen on Mexican soil,” she said.
Anand would not say if the shooting would change Canada’s travel advice for Mexico, which was last updated March 31 and warns Canadians to exercise “a high degree” of caution “due to high levels of criminal activity and kidnapping.”
Although some parts of Mexico are under regional non-travel advisories due to violence and organized crime, Mexico state — where Teotihuacán is located — is not among them.
“At this time, we are examining all issues relating to the bilateral relationship, but of course, we are in very close contact with our Mexican counterparts,” Anand said.
“We know that it is a very difficult time for the families, and that’s really what we’re focused on.”
Witness says tourists fell down pyramid ‘like a waterfall’
Burnaby, B.C., resident Barb Welsh told Global News that she and her six girlfriends were visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids with a local guide when the shooting occurred.
She said the group was at the base of the Pyramid of the Moon after Welsh, who had tried to climb the steep stairs with one of her friends, began experiencing effects from the altitude about one-quarter of the way up and turned around.
“Then the shots rang out, and we thought, ‘Oh my goodness, that sounds like firecrackers, what is that?’ she said. “And then I looked up and I could see people, just like a waterfall, coming down the pyramids.
“The guide said, ‘It’s a shooter, run, run!’ So we ran just as fast as we could.”
Vancouver resident Barb Welsh poses with her friends in front of the one of the ancient pyramids in Teotihuacan, Mexico, shortly before a gunman opened fire on tourists on April 20, 2026.
Supplied to Global News by Barb Welsh
Welsh said the shots lasted for “at least” 20 minutes as she and her friends ran with their guide to the site’s parking lot, where their van had raced back to pick them up.
“We were just in shock. We were like, how could this be happening?” she said.
Mexican authorities have not disclosed the nature of the injuries unrelated to gunfire, but Welsh said she saw many people falling from the the top of the pyramids after the shooting began.
“It’s a very difficult, steep climb, so I’m sure everybody has broken legs, broken arms,” she said. “It was horrible. It was just unbelievable.
“The minute we saw the people falling … they were just coming down, rolling, falling. We knew they were being shot.”
Welsh added it was “pure luck” that she and her friend turned back when they did.
“My girlfriend Leanne and I would have been on the top. There’s no question,” she said. “I’m not a big fatalist, but if there is, I’m happy to believe in it.”
—With files from Global News’ Jillian Piper and Sergio Vargas
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
